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B L A C K B O A R D

MAY 2015 | ISSUE #99

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Festival

Annual vineyard shindigs

At the Lovedale Long Lunch

Wonderful Wollombi Wines

SUNDAY 10TH MAY | MOTHERS DAY AT CAMPBELL’S STORE | Morpeth | Pamper your mum with a day out in Morpeth. Take Mum shopping for that special gift. Soak up the relaxed atmosphere of Morpeth with a big breakfast, brunch, lunch or Devonshire Tea with homemade jam and real cream at the Servant’s Quarter’s Tearoom. Open for breakfast from 9.00am. Visit www.campbellsstoremorpeth.com for more information.

FO R YO U R

DiaryFRIDAY 1ST – SUNDAY 3RD MAY | TOCAL FIELD DAYS | Tocal Agricultural Centre, Paterson | The Tocal Fields Days return to provide visitors with a mixture of a genuine rural experience with entertainment, fashion, regional food, wine and craft all served with the renowned Tocal country hospitality. This year’s exhibitors bring a vast array of products and services from the latest in farming techniques and technology, solar energy, fencing construction, through to craft and good food and wine products. There are also plenty of agricultural talks and demonstrations, live country entertainment, free craft activities for the kids, cooking demonstrations and competitions. Visit www.tocalfielddays.com.au for more information.

SUNDAY 10TH MAY | MOTHERS DAY HIGH TEA | Hunter Valley Gardens | Spoil your mother this year with a delicate and delicious high tea at Hunter Valley Gardens. Enjoy a selection of finger sandwiches, petit cakes, pastries and an array of teas overlooking the beautiful Oriental Garden. Entry to the Gardens, high tea and a glass of sparkling wine for all mothers on arrival are included for $48 per person and $28 per child. Bookings are essential. Visit www.hvg.com.au for more information.

THURSDAY 28TH – SUNDAY 31ST MAY | PORT TO PORT RACE | Newcastle and the Hunter Valley | Port to Port MTB will be returning to the Newcastle region again this month. Beginning at the Nelson Bay Marina, riders endure four days of exciting single track, fire trails, testing hill climbs and steep descents through Hunter Valley Wine Country, Lake Macquarie and the Newcastle Region. One of the features of the 2015 event will be the Crowne Plaza Sundown Shootout, a fast-paced mountain bike spectacular, consisting of a 2km time trial that starts in the newly built Lovedale Brewery and winds around the iconic golf course. Visit www.porttoportmtb.com for more information on the event.

SUNDAY 3RD MAY | GROOVIN THE MOO | Maitland Showground | Now in it’s 11th year, Groovin the Moo has grown from a small festival in Gloucester, NSW to become Australia’s only touring regional festival, attracting over 90,000 people in total nationally. This year’s event will feature the festivals usual diversity of musical genres and mix of international and local artists such as Hilltop Hoods, Broods (NZ), Sticky Fingers, Wolfmother, Charli XCX (UK) and many more. Visit www.gtm.net.au for more information.

FRIDAY 15TH – SUNDAY 17TH MAY | CHAPEL JAZZ | Morpeth | Morpeth Chapel Jazz is a joint venture of the three churches of Morpeth. Until the 1980’s, Morpeth was a rundown village in fear of demolition but now it’s a rejuvenated destination. In the bicentenary year of 1988, a few local businesses joined together to establish a small jazz festival we’ve all come to know and love! The Jazz Festival soon acquired a life of its own, now being a major event on the Morpeth Calendar. Chapel Jazz presents traditional jazz in a welcoming community environment to jazz lovers and their families. Visit www.chapeljazz.com for more information.

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SATURDAY 16TH & SUNDAY 17TH MAY | LOVEDALE LONG LUNCH | Throughout Lovedale | Lovedale will once again continue the tradition of bringing endless delight to lovers of wine, food and music by hosting the annual, award winning Lovedale Long Lunch. This year’s event is expected to attract more than 20,000 people to the seven participating Lovedale wineries - Allandale Winery, Tatler Wines, Gartelmann Hunter Valley, Wandin Hunter Valley, Saltire Wines, Sandalyn Estate and Emmas Cottage Vineyard. This progressive style lunch also involves a selection of the regions finest restaurants and live entertainment. Visit www.lovedalelonglunch.com.au for more information on the menus, wine, live entertainment or to purchase tickets.

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64 Halls Road, Pokolbin NSW 2320Phone 02 4998 4998 | www.circa1876.com

CIRCA 1876 - Modern Australian ‘Soul Food’ … with a Twist!

Executive Chef George Francisco’s ‘Soul food’ bent on modern Australian cuisine sees a deep appreciation for the freshest seasonal produce,

and a philosophy of no waste – whether it is bean, bee, or beast. Soul food has a rich

culinary tradition born out of necessity and innovation, an amalgamation of African, European, and early American resources and preparations for which George is a

passionate advocate - and further adds his own distinct French cooking in�uences.

In the midst of the abundant Hunter Valley, George embraces time-tested principals of a farm fresh, produce-driven menu by growing

the majority of his produce onsite, within view of diners. As fresh as it gets!

H U N T E R V A L L E Y

FROM THE Editors

HIGHLIGHTS

LIKE US ON FACEBOOKFacebook.com/TheHunterBlackboard

MOTHERS DAY The Hunter Valley wants to spoil your Mother with a number of special events this Mother’s Day! We look at some of the best.

GROOVIN THE MOO Now in its 11th year, Groovin’ the Moo continues to entertain sell-out crowds in Maitland with an array of international and local acts.

LET’S CELEBRATE! Annual Vineyard Shindigs | The colder months in the Hunter Valley are not a time to hibernate, but a time to celebrate – with a calendar of events turning up the heat…

CRAFT BEER BOOM Long before Lager’s took a grip on the world’s tipplers, another style of beer held the claim as being the first global beer and it has just sparked a new beer revolution…

HUNTER BLACKBOARD MAP A popular addition to each and every issue. Use it to find your way around Wine Country…

WONDERFUL WOLLOMBI WINES The historic village of Wollombi has been producing award winning wines since the 1850’s. Take a look at the wonderful wineries of Wollombi.

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Wine Country is loaded with festivals. Locals and visitors alike are always ready to raise their glasses and toast something… this year’s harvest, spring, roses, chocolates, our award-winning wine and food and yes – even lunch!

The temperatures are dropping and the leaves are starting to fall from the vines, but there’s no time to hibernate in wine country with a slew of festival style events turning up the heat on the cooler months.

The month of May welcomes the 22nd annual Lovedale Long Lunch. Held on the third weekend of May, this progressive style lunch from winery to winery in the beautiful Lovedale area is a festival of the senses, as well as the taste-buds.

Dance the day away to the live entertainment at every venue whilst enjoying the spectacular scenery, fine wines and delectable dishes that have put the Lovedale Long Lunch on the map as the most popular event on the annual festivals calendar.

May wouldn’t be May without recognising Mother’s Day. Sunday 10th May see’s various organised events throughout the Hunter Valley. From the simple to the extravagant, you would be hard-pressed not to find a way to show your appreciation and love to the one person who

knows all your foibles and loves you anyway! Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mum’s … we hope you have a beautiful day.

Another annual festival on our calendar is Groovin’ the Moo, now in it’s 11th year. This year ‘Groovin’ features numerous stages and an amazing line-up of acts. The most difficult decision of the day will be which stage and when! It’s on the 9th of May – don’t miss out!

Of course a visit to the Hunter Valley would not be complete without our local Markets and you can find a market practically every weekend throughout May… Sacred Tree Markets, Hand Made Hunter Markets and Broke Village Market will be held in Wine Country on weekends throughout the month… check out our Markets Guide for details.

Apart from discovering all of the happenings at our wineries and restaurants, this issue sheds some light on the popular new celebratory wine “Moscato” including our pick of the crop!

And finally, we hope you relish our abundant wine country Festivals, not only in May, but right throughout the year. Look out for our 100th Issue in June. Enjoy!