Darebin Homemade Food & Wine Festival

To the days of coming home to mum’s top cooking, or swapping homemade dishes with neighbours because theirs tastes better, it’s hard to beat good homemade food.

For a week the annual Darebin Homemade Food & Wine Festival will celebrate and explore that homeliness, the rich thread of tradition and the humble people behind the food.

“The festival creates a singular place to curate and share this cultural knowledge and passion, and hopefully ensure their longevity”, says Darebin mayor, Cr Gaetano Greco.

Opportunity to cook will not be scarce for those who are keen to attempt or challenge local food masters—there are workshops on creating your own mozzarella, salami, preserved olives, Thai curry paste, wine and beer. Families can also test their pasta-making prowess in The Family Pasta Race.

Other events aim to educate the community on sustainability in the home and kitchen, a key theme for the festival. Visitors can learn how to create a zero-waste kitchen, share home-grown herbs with locals, and get involved in the Q&A forum discussing backyard vegie patches.

To end the food marathon, the community’s homecooks will gather at the Preston City Hall and put their homemade produce up for tasting and scrutiny—whether it be wine, beer, passata or olives. Awards will be given to the best ones.

But undoubtedly the festival will delve into the heart of food—its sense of community and sharing, the stories and the life memories.

Monday 12 May - Saturday 17 May; 1pm-4pm
Preston City Hall, and various locations around Preston
Full program: www.darebinarts.com.au
Seminars and workshops are mostly free