Learn. Eat. Drink. Watch. Make.

Do it all at the new-look Town Square this Tasting Australia festival

Adelaide’s favourite food mecca, Town Square is back for the 2021 Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel festival, with loads of new events and masterclasses on sale today.

Located at Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, the new-look Town Square is the perfect place to meet for a drink, stay for a meal and explore, offering more family friendly and free experiences than ever before. Featuring ample seating, 6 bars, 12 food vendors, cosy firepits and live music, Town Square will run from 30 April – 9 May 2021.

Premier of South Australia Steven Marshall said Tasting Australia generates significant economic growth for the local industry.

“The 2019 Tasting Australia festival saw record numbers through the gates at Town Square, with 64,000 people visiting the hub over the 10-day event,” says Mr Marshall.

“Every year Tasting Australia turns our state into a culinary hotspot, showcasing the exceptional local producers, winemakers and chefs we have at our fingertips. We look forward to welcoming Tasting Australia’s Town Square to Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga again this year, which we know will attract more people into the CBD.”

Free to enter, the buzzing festival hub will feature a dedicated artisan area where festivalgoers can watch artists at work. The space will feature a range of free local artist demonstrations including barrel charring by Master Cask and knife forging by Dog Boy Knives.

The hero of Town Square is Town Square Kitchen presented by TheFork, an innovative and Instagram-worthy space located in the heart of the festival hub.

On the menu at Town Square Kitchen is an extensive range of curated events featuring some of the festival’s biggest names. Some event highlights include Mayura Station Rare Cuts with Analiese Gregory, Jake Kellie and Mark Wright, Seed and Soil a menu highlighting vegetarian cuisine with Kane Pollard, Mark Labrooy and Paul Carmichael and celebration of global cuisine at The World’s Table featuring Tasting Australia Patron Cheong Liew, Paul Carmichael, Mat Lindsay and Louis Tikaram.

All Town Square Kitchen events will reflect the festival’s support of local artisans and will feature locally sourced pieces throughout the dining experience including crockery and cutlery, whilst the curated menus will highlight local South Australian producers.

Simon Bryant said that not only will Town Square Kitchen host some of the festival’s flagship events, it will also be accessible to the public.

“We wanted to create an inclusive space this year and Town Square Kitchen is exactly that,” says Mr Bryant.

“Some of the festival’s biggest names will be cooking up a storm in the kitchen but when there is no programming scheduled for the space, all Town Square visitors will be able to enter Town Square Kitchen. We encourage people to take a plate from one of our food vendors, share a drink with friends or simply enjoy the surroundings at Town Square Kitchen.

“I am also excited to be cooking at Town Square Kitchen hosting a Mother’s Day event, the Bubbles Brunch where I will team up with Sean Connolly to create a very special morning for mums.”

Gary Burrows, Country Manager at TheFork expressed his excitement about their involvement with the new Town Square Kitchen.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Tasting Australia and helping to bring the Town Square Kitchen to life,” says Mr Burrows.

“It’s exciting to have a food festival to look forward to and we can’t wait to see people enjoying everything that will be on offer in the space.”

Family programming is also predominant at this year’s Town Square, with dedicated events perfect for a family day out scheduled throughout the festival. Sessions include star chefs Duncan Welgemoed, Emma McCaskill and Mark Labrooy. All family sessions will be hosted by the Tasting Australia Food Curator Darren Robertson’s wife and passionate children’s nutritionist, Magdalena Roze.

RAA have teamed up with local cooking school Scoffed for a children’s cooking class where kids will learn how to make an edible chocolate garden to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The coveted East End Cellars Masterclass series will be back in 2021, bringing wine, beer and spirits to Town Square on a whole new level. Nick Stock, Tasting Australia Drinks Curator has teamed up with the festival’s Beverage Managers, East End Cellars to create an exciting masterclass program for Town Square.

“Wine, beer, spirits, champagne – it’s all on the table at the East End Cellars Masterclass series, whether you’re an avid connoisseur or eager to learn more,” says Mr Stock.

“This year you’ll find events uniting stars from across Australia and New Zealand. We’ll honour local legends and travel beyond our shores to revel in treasures from wine regions including Burgundy, Barolo and the Jura. Sip premium champagne, embrace all things distilled or raise your glass to our craft brewers.”

Town Square has been designed with crowd safety as a priority and all COVID-Safe measures will be adhered to.

Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel starts on Friday 30 April until Sunday 9 May 2021 and runs for 10 days across Adelaide and regional South Australia.

More information on Town Square and tickets to Town Square Kitchen presented by TheFork, family programming and masterclasses are available now via the Tasting Australia website: https://tastingaustralia.com.au/