Announcing its debut with a bang comes the inaugural REVEL Byron Bay Food and Culture Festival, celebrating the unique and diverse food, beverage, music, art and culture of the Northern Rivers from Thursday, 10th November to Sunday, 13th November.
From morning through to the evening, the festival will take over an array of local restaurants, businesses, and iconic Byron Bay and Northern Rivers locations. Across the four days the public can expect a dynamic series of events, long lunches, twilight soirees, public art installations, performances, health and wellness classes, a produce market, tours, panel discussions, workshops and more.
REVEL Byron Bay Food and Culture Festival Founder and Director Alex Taylor was inspired to create the festival following the hard impact of the COVID pandemic on the local community. “As we all know the hospitality industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic along with tourism, arts and music and these are all industries that Byron Shire support in a large way for a regional place”, notes Taylor.
Jonny Ruddy – Co-Festival Director – further adds, “Byron Bay is an incredible hub of creative talent and entrepreneurs and we wanted to create something that would support all these industries as well as the wider community that has struggled to connect over the last couple of years.”
The diversity of the events and experiences that will be part of the REVEL Byron Bay program is a testament to the talent and diversity of the region. The Northern Rivers, but particularly Byron Bay, is a melting pot of cultures, philosophies, backgrounds and talents and it’s also a place of incredible natural beauty which is what makes it such a wonderful, unique place.
The food and beverage component will be led by Festival Food Curator, David Moyle. The acclaimed chef is synonymous with a restrained, cooperative and down-to-earth style of cooking and a strong commitment to sustainable produce. Now calling Byron Bay home, he joined Harvest Newrybar as Chief of Food in 2020.
Describing Byron Bay as an area that has had an incredible food culture from current times, to thousands of years past, Moyle adds that it is the perfect platform to celebrate and recognise its importance. “What this festival stands to achieve is so important for this community that has been rocked by so many challenges in the past few years. It is going to be great to bring people back together to enjoy the company of friends and family with good food and good vibes in a beautiful setting.”
The festival will run across four days, Thursday-Sunday to encourage long weekend traveller’s and to give enough space for the variety of events and experiences offered across the diverse program. The program will revolve around the REVEL Festival Village – a food, beverage, music and art precinct – taking over the entire North Byron Hotel in the Byron Arts and Industrial Estate.
Complementing the village will be REVEL on-site events from the likes of Harvest, Raes on Wategos, Three Blue Ducks, Belongil Beach Italian Food, Bang Bang Byron Bay, Barrio, Capiche, The Hut, The Roadhouse, Treehouse on Belongil and Mosey on Inn group (Ciao Mate!, The Eltham and You Beauty) plus many more.
In addition, there will be events on Thursday and Friday at ‘Beachside REVEL’ overlooking Byron Bay Main Beach, including an opening event, and another precinct on Saturday and Sunday at the ‘Secret REVEL Garden’ in town with multiple events running across those two days.
REVEL Byron Bay will also be bringing together a collection of cultural and industry figures to celebrate and pay homage to their local community. Advisers include but not limited to Delta Kay – Arakwal Bundjalung Woman, Cultural Educator and Festival Ambassador and Artists Paul McNeil and Karlee Mackie (MLAK), REVEL Byron Bay Art Collaborators and Ambassadors.
REVEL Byron Bay Food and Culture Festival will be held across various venues on Thursday, 10th November to Sunday, 13th November. For further information and ticket sign ups, please visit www.revelbyronbay.com
REVEL Byron Bay Food and Culture Festival will be held across various venues on Thursday, 10th November to Sunday, 13th November. For further information and ticket sign ups, please visit www.revelbyronbay.com
