Harvest Festival weekend attracted crowds of thousands to the Coast

Published On

14/06/2023

Central Coast Council's popular Harvest Festival, held over the June long weekend, has once again attracted thousands of people from near and far to experience the Coast's hinterland communities and boost the local economy.

This year’s Festival had 32 event hubs run a range of unique events and experiences from farm tours, fruit picking and produce markets to food and wine fairs, and live entertainment.

Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said Harvest Festival provides an opportunity for people to take a glimpse behind the farm gate and explore Central Coast rural farming communities and their picturesque villages, whilst supporting local businesses and the economy.

"We are delighted to report that an estimated 56,000 attendees enjoyed Harvest Festival over the long weekend, bringing an estimated economic boost of $8.6million to our region," Ms Smith said.

"Our event hubs reported a successful weekend and received an abundance of positive feedback from participants and visitors, many of which travelled from Sydney and beyond to experience the unique events on offer within our beautiful hinterland.”

Council Administrator, Rik Hart said Harvest Festival makes a great contribution to the local economy, whilst highlighting sustainable farming practices and shining a spotlight on the rural side of the Central Coast.

"For many people, the Central Coast’s abundance of beaches may be the first to come to mind but on the other side of the M1 there’s the natural beauty of our hinterland. Harvest Festival celebrates this area, it’s people and promotes the region's local growers and producers,” Mr Hart said.

“Not only is this event an opportunity for the local community and visitors to the Central Coast to connect and enjoy, it’s also highly valuable for our tourism industry, and for the millions injected directly into our economy as a result of the event.

“On Saturday 10 June, I attended the Taste of Wyong event – one of the 32 Harvest Festival hubs – and hosted a pop-up stall to hear from members of the community. It was a fantastic turnout in Wyong Town Park, and I greatly appreciated all the people who took the time to come by and talk to me about the issues that matter to them.”