The Wild Food Festival has been hailed a huge success – drawing a whopping 2500 people, half of whom were visitors – and bringing a mini economic boost to the town.

Kim Fort, one of Whakatane District Council’s events managers for the fest, said they were thrilled with how the event, held on Saturday at Ōhope’s Mahy Reserve, went.

“Attendee numbers were recorded at 2500, with 50 percent of attendees from out of town.”

Ms Fort said people travelled from Auckland, Wellington and neighbouring regions, with many staying the weekend.

“We estimate that the economic boost to Whakatāne District economy by holding the Local Wild Food Festival's is $873,288.00. The festival attracted almost 1300 visitors who spent money on accommodation, food, transportation, and at other local businesses,” Ms Fort said.

The festival had also increased visibility of local food producers, partners, demonstrators and the businesses, she said.

Attendees had an opportunity to taste a huge variety of food from the wild.

The tastings team served almost 8000 samples, such as smoked fish on seaweed cracker topped with horopito and watercress mayonnaise, spit roasted pig and apple sauce, Kawakawa sparkling cordial, pork and watercress sausages, venison, crayfish and slow cooked possum.

The Smokey zone was a highlight, with action all day.

Paul Patterson from Fishermans Wharf cooked locally sourced wild game in a custom-made open fire. Local butcher, Toby Barkla, from Plains Butchery, demonstrated venison and wild pork breakdowns and sausage making. Other Smokey zone highlights included spit roasted pork and mussels cooked French style “eclade de moules” in front of crowds by lighting hay on top of a fire bed.

“It was our largest ever programme of demonstrations with one starting every 15 minutes, entertaining attendees throughout the day,” said Ms Fort.

This included how to cook pikopiko, sustainable fishing, oyster shucking, and wallaby and hare stew with kawakawa dough balls, whitebait fritters, tandoori octopus set on a seaweed salad with horopito yoghurt and more.

Another exciting event for attendees was when Sam the Trap Man, aka Sam Gibson a foraging and hunting Influencer, debuted the festival’s wild food foraging event, taking a group of people into the local bush to have hands-on experience about the abundance of natural resources in the environment.

The Cooking competition zone was also a huge hit with 20-plus teams of three participating in four Mystery Box Challenges throughout the day. The winning teams took away prizes sponsored by Polynesian Spa, Moutohora Island Sanctuary Tours, Mitre 10 and Salt Air Surf.

Winner of the children’s individual challenge was Niamh Sweeny with her Wild Venison Platter and the winner of the adults' challenge was Fraser Barlow with Pohutukawa Smoked Eel Mousse on Fried Bread.

“We’ve already received great feedback from attendees who said they’d be back.”