27 July 2022
Much-loved MasterChef Australia winner, author, and champion of local flavours and real cooking styles, JULIE GOODWIN will be a special guest at this year’s Festival of Food and Wine at the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. She leads the lineup for the three famous days of music, flowers and flavour.
It was over a decade ago that Julie Goodwin became a household name overnight when she was crowned Australia’s first MasterChef. Thrust into the limelight, there were the joys and highs of so many new opportunities, TV shows, best-selling books, radio, appearances, columns, endorsements and her long-time dream of opening a cooking school came true.
Viewers loved her honesty, sense of humour and humble cooking style. Her family-focused cooking style and ‘mum next door’ persona has turned her passion into a hugely successful career, with six successful books, TV, Australian Women’s Weekly column for over eight years, radio co-host for four years, and many more successful partnerships and appearances across the nation.
Julie will be demonstrating on Saturday September 10 and Sunday 11 September at 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm at the Festival of Food and Wine, showcasing a range of in-season produce from around the Toowoomba Region.
In a perfect tribute to Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, famed local brewer 4 Brothers Brewing is creating a signature floral beer especially for the event! It will be on offer at the Festival Cocktail Bar and for the Tasting Room Program, and at the brewery throughout September. The beer – Carnivale – is an Ale featuring Nasturtium flowers. That’s not all! Their flagship Toowoomba Lager will also feature. It is the first beer sporting the Toowoomba name produced in the last 40 years and since it was first brewed in late 2018, it has won five medals at several beer awards, including Silver at the 2021 Royal Qld Food & Wine Show.
Toowoomba Region’s first artisan distillery in Pechey Distilling Co will take centre-stage during the Festival of Food and Wine. At the distillery in the High Country Hamlets region north of Toowoomba, they produce a range of exceptional spirits that celebrate the family’s rich history in the area and the world class botanicals grown locally. Featuring at the Festival of Food and Wine is their signature Homestead Gin, featuring heirloom kumquat and lemon myrtle from the homestead gardens, and their triple distilled 1868 Vodka.
The event will be home to more than 35 food and wine stalls, and will feature the exclusive Botanical Society area, The Tasting Room Bar, Farm to Fork Demonstrations, beer and cocktail bars, the BBQ Pityard and more. Sixteen wineries will take part including Preston peak Winery, Symphony Hill Wines, Twisted Gum Wines, Kingsley Grove Wine, Golden Grove Wines, Jester Hill Wines and more.
Grazing boxes are available for Festival goers and include Kenilworth Dairy, Woombye and Awassi cheeses, cold meats from Grantham, Coolbardie Olives, Kokopod Chocolate, nuts, homemade chilli jam and edible flowers. Grazing boxes can be pre-ordered – all information at tcof.com.au
On the music side, Festival of Food and Wine will welcome iconic Australian band The Whitlams to perform their entire Eternal Nightcap album, with their set marking the incredible 25th anniversary of the album that captured the hearts of a generation. The band will be joined over the three famous days of music, flowers and flavour by musicians Vera Blue, Ash Grunwald, The Chantoozies and more! They are joined by locals Cardboard Cutouts, Flamingo Blonde, Jasmine Aleisha, Kane Maher, The Van Trio, The Hobsons, Lenna Maree Moxey Duo, The Fibonacci Band and Cool Nights Big Band. FULL PROGRAM at tcof.com.au
The multi-award-winning Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers (TCOF) will take place for the full month of September this year. Taking centre stage over the new 30-day format will be over 190,000 flowers and local flavours, as the event blooms into a truly region-wide experience for both locals and visitors.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 2022
1 – 30 September 2022
The FULL PROGRAM is LIVE, tickets on sale now at tcof.com.au
Accommodation, day trip and longer stay itineraries are all available.
Festival of Food and Wine – September 9 to 11, 2022
Daily 3 Day Pass
Adult 18+ $60 $135
Concession Card Holder 18+ $40 $90
Youth 12-17yrs $15 $33
Child 3-11yrs* $10 $22
*child 2yrs and younger FREE
Tickets at: tcof.com.au
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers – A History
Since its inception in 1949, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has flourished and is now an iconic Queensland event. The brainchild of Essex Tait and the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, Carnival was introduced as a way for the city to use its “Garden City” reputation to promote increased economic activity following the hardships of war. On 21 October 1950, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers commenced with a street procession that stretched three miles in length. Led by a bullock team and watched by a crowd estimated to be 50,000 strong, it was a resounding success, as it has been ever since.
For more information contact Kath Rose & Associates on 0416 291 493 or kath@kathrose.com