Party in Pyrmont! Wine, dine and shine on the harbour

Undoubtedly one of Sydney’s most popular and anticipated cultural festivals, the annual Pyrmont Festival of Wine, Beer, Food, and Art will enliven the Pyrmont peninsula again this May. The festival is a month-long program of special culinary and arts events, with a weekend carnival in Pirrama Park as its centrepiece. 

In this, its twelfth iteration, Pyrmont Festival promises many of its signature features, plus a few new surprises. The whole enterprise began as a collaboration between wine regions in NSW and artisan food and goods producers in Sydney in a celebration of country meets city. 

“This year we have welcomed winemakers, brewers and distillers from across NSW. This includes producers from Orange, Mudgee, Murrumbateman and the Hunter Valley,” says Alex Gibbs, Pyrmont Festival Director. 

The two-day headline event takes place in beautiful Pirrama Park on May 18 and 19. This flat, open park is the perfect setting for an outdoor festival, with shady trees, walking paths, lots of nearby amenities, and the picturesque Sydney Harbour as a backdrop.   

Pyrmont Festival takes up the full length of the park, with the large Harbour Stage at one end and the slightly smaller Sunset Stage at the other, each showcasing a fantastic line-up of local entertainers. This year sees the return of crowd favourites, Crown Jewel Band, as well as As Seen On TV, and headliner, Jo Fabro, who is featured on our cover. 

It’s Fabro’s fourth year at Pyrmont Festival. With a blend of jazz, blues, soul, pop and her own distinct sound, Fabro has become a favourite with the Pyrmont Festival crowds as well as having a following in the Sydney music scene. She plays intimate clubs as well as larger outdoor venues. 

“We really enjoy playing down there. It’s such a beautiful event to play at,” says Fabro. “And this one’s interesting because this is a food and wine festival, and so people are going there primarily for the food and wine, but they’re sort of pleasantly surprised when they find music,” says Fabro. “There are deck chairs in front of the stage and people always take a seat, they come with their wine and their food and they enjoy themselves while they’re experiencing all of the produce, which is great.”

There will be over 20 wineries, breweries and distilleries, including, for the first time, a Canberra District winery — McKellar Ridge Wines from Murrumbateman. A rural area 20 minutes outside of Canberra, the elevated Murrumbateman was established as a wine region in the 1970s. Its rich volcanic soil and cool climate conditions produce grapes that express elegant fruit flavours, high natural acidity and moderate tannins. They are versatile food companions and great for cellaring. 

John and Marina Sekoranja of McKellar Ridge Wines are excited about being the first winery from Murrumbateman to show at Pyrmont Festival. They’ll be bringing new vintages of Sauvignon Blanc, Rose, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and two styles of Shiraz. They’re also offering visitors deals on wine purchases and visits to their cellar door. Visit them at the festival to find out more. 

On the gastronomical side, the now legendary pop-up Cheeky Naked Oyster Bar will set up alongside the shoreline and serve delicious freshly shucked oysters and juicy prawns straight from Sydney Seafood Markets. Enjoy blow-torched cheesy scallops, baby octopus skewers and other ocean delicacies from the famous Aburi Bar. 

Beyond the mouth-watering oysters and seafood delights, you can treat your taste-buds to exciting new gourmet cheeses from The Really Stuffed Olive Company; delectable and dynamic Asian street food inspired by Asia’s vibrant street food scene at The Star’s Fat Noodle stand; German food truck, Knuckles 2 You; the unique taste of African fast food at its finest with the Pharaoh BBQ food truck; Chef Luca Ciano selling his delicious sauces; plus literally dozens more gourmet products and international cuisines. 

“I’m a massive foodie, I think most people in Sydney are,” says Fabro. “I really love the food trucks…there’s always a bespoke beef jerky guy. There’s always people who have stalls that sell these really interesting foods […] NSW has so much to offer. Being such a huge geographical area, you don’t always get to go and explore these places, so the benefit of a festival like this is that it all comes to you. You get to experience the best a region has to offer, but you can catch a tram there instead of having to drive, and you can make a day of it.”

Each year, Pyrmont Festival presents a range of unique artisan, hand-crafted products by independent vendors, and this year is definitely no exception. Here’s a few to look out for.

Loveshak makes a beautiful range of beer, wine, and champagne soaps and skin care products. The alcohol content is removed prior, but the inherent beneficial properties are retained. These include antioxidants, proteins, and elements that promote skin toning and anti-aging. For fragrance and enhanced benefits, the products are blended with ingredients such as olive and coconut oils, herbs, spices, clays, charcoal, dried fruits and botanicals. 

Team Tofu is a mother and daughter team who make bespoke t-shirts promoting love, fun, health and local pride. Their tees are simple and comfy, sturdy, and made from cotton, in a wide range of colours. Each one has a terrific original design with vegan, running and Pyrmont themes. They’re great!

Winestoppers Australia If someone tells you to put a cork in it, you can dazzle them with one of these exquisite, bejewelled stoppers. The stoppers are gorgeously decorated in coloured diamantes and come in an equally gorgeous silk or velvet pouch. The range now also includes diamante studded can coolers, wine cooler bags, and very handy wine glass coolers with a sling that allows you to walk around hands — and spill — free. 

Chase Park Candles are made from high quality soy wax and fragrant oils presented in an elegant glass receptacle. The candles burn slowly and come in a range of scents including coconut and lime, pineapple and frangipani, Australian bush, and champagne and strawberries. Also available are diffusers consisting of a vintage pharmacy style clear bottle and pure white reeds, and handy little tinned candles. 

Stalwart of the festival is artistic ambassador for Pyrmont, Jane Bennett who will have a collection of her glorious, vivid artworks depicting landmarks around the Pyrmont, Ultimo and inner west precincts. 

Also on the artistic front, TAP Gallery, who has been part of the festival virtually from the beginning, will present a pop-up gallery featuring entries to this year’s annual Pyrmont Prize. 

Face painting, art classes, rides, and much more at the two-day festival in Pirrama Park. 

“I think this festivals is great because it’s got a little bit of something for everyone,” says Fabro. “I see groups of adults go, but I also see a lot of people make a day of it with their families. Pirrama Park is so lovely and there’s so much space.”

The extended program, running throughout May includes Walking Food Tours, a Day at Sea on the Tall Ship James Craig, and the Tasty Trivia x Petersons Wine Challenge at the Terminus Hotel — just a small selection of the busy program of events. 

For full details, visit www.pyrmontfestival.com.au