Fun for all at the Auckland Seafood Festival!

Are you after something a bit different to your usual summer festival? The head along to the Auckland Seafood Festival!

The festival supports local charities and will be held on Auckland Anniversary Weekend 2011, on January 29th, 30th, and 31st, at Te Wero Island, at Viaduct Basin.

Now in it’s fifth year; the Auckland Seafood Festival offers a huge range of local delicacies, including oysters and mussels aplenty, scallops cooked five ways, whitebait fritters, salmon kebabs, salt and pepper squid, seafood paella, Gina’s special seafood pizzas, plus much more. It also features a wide selection of local and international wines, and beer from Mac’s Brew Bar.

There will also be performances from local musicians, buskers, street entertainers, industry displays and competitions. The popular competition stage will be back again where you can win great prizes, watch the best fish filleters in the country compete for the national title, and even compete in an OYSTER EATING COMPETITION!

Three music stages spread around the event will be playing a wide selection of music including jazz, acoustic, some Kiwi rock and chilled summer tunes.

Last year’s festival attracted crowds of around 22,000 and raised over $103,000 for various charities. Tickets are just $15 and there is high demand for them. A pre-sale will be launched online for ‘friends of the festival’ so hurry and register!

There will be plenty of seafood stalls for the adventurous (and not so adventurous). Check out some of the stalls below.

• The Whitebait People – the best of this fantastic delicacy.
• Kai Pai Mussells – enjoy the worlds best mussells.
• Mr Vendor – European style to Seafood.
• Great Barrier Island Outdoor Catering – best of the Hauraki Gulf.
• La Creperie – authentic french sweet pancakes and famous for their savoury galettes.
• John Oyagawa Catering – traditional Seafood and something for the small ones.
• Paella Pan Ltd – a festival would not be complete without this famous Spanish dish.
• Able Catering – Mussel fritters…plus every festival has to have great Fish & Chips.
• Pizzeria Samiarti – wood fired pizza and seafood.
• Saigonz Vietnamese Cuisine – fresh Asian style to Seafood.
• Rotary – fresh Oysters, BBQ Scallops, BBQ Paua, & Seafood fritters.

and PLENTY more. So mark the dates in you diary and head along to get your fill of some of the best seafood in New Zealand!

Image credit to Sandy Austin via flickr.