The Southern Highlands is donning its chef’s hats, rallying their many star bakers and bakeries, taste testing some amazing pie fillings, and heating up the pie warmers for what promises to be an even bigger and better Pie Time this June.
“Off the back of our National Award-winning short breaks destination marketing campaign for Pie Time 2017 at last month’s Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, the region – where there is a large saturation of quality pie producers – is super excited to become The Southern Pie-lands once again for the month of June,” said Steve Rosa, Manager Tourism and Events, Destination Southern Highlands.
“June definitely is the time the entire region celebrates the great Australian pie with a series of mouth-watering pie themed events and festivals,” Steve continued.
Mr. Rosa revealed some big changes planned for Pie Time 2018 at an industry briefing held last week in Bowral.
“This year sees the expansion of the Best Pie Competition to become the NSW and ACT Best Pie Competition. On from 13-15 June, it is this year held further ahead of the Pie Festival allowing bakers from near and wide throughout NSW and ACT to pit pie against pie in five categories, and to be able to keep up with the baking demands to have the pies available for the public at the festival later in the month,” Mr Rosa said.
He continued by saying that both Destination Southern Highlands and their Pie Time Events partner, The Big Event Group, have really listened to feedback from both industry and consumers for how Pie Time 2018 could improve upon last year.
“Our two-day pie festival has been re-located to the Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse in Bowral this year to accommodate a greater number of stallholders and activities and to make access and parking easier for patrons. Taking place 23-24 June, the newly branded PieFest will celebrate all things pies, wine, beer, cider and spirits from the Southern Highlands and further afield,” Mr Rosa continued.
He said the local pie makers, bakers and producers from the Southern Highlands will once again take part in the other pie related events which were highly successful at last year’s Pie Time including Dine with a Pie, where visitors can sample the region’s signature pies at hotels, cafes and restaurants available only for the month of June; a locals’ pie night; and the Pie Trail where visitors can tour and sample locally made pies from over 30 local pie outlets and pie cooking classes.
“We’ll also have a range of brand new pie themed experiences in 2018 including Pie Trike Tours, Pinot and Pie tours and Pie-cycle, a cycling tour which takes in several famous pie stops throughout the Highlands,” Steve continued.
For more information on Pie Time visit www.pietime.com.au
