Latest news with #BluffOysterandFoodFestival
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Aw shucks: Tickets obstacle overcome
Tasting Bluff oysters are Ley Chen (left) and Yuwhan Xu at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival on Saturday. Photos: Nina Tapu Leaving their tickets behind almost cost one Auckland duo their long-awaited chance of slurping down Bluff oysters on Saturday. Married couple Ley Chen and Yuwhan Xu were so excited about going to the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival they left their festival tickets in Auckland. They did not realise they were ticketless until they arrived in Queenstown on Friday. Mr Chen said he could not believe they had forgotten to bring the tickets. "That was the most important thing and we left it [the tickets] behind," Mr Chen said. "My wife bought it ... two months ago." An unusually sunny and hot Bluff day kept the 4000-strong, oyster-loving crowd happy with the smorgasbord of kaimoana (seafood) and game meat on offer. The Auckland couple's dreams of taking part in the annual festival and experiencing the famous Bluff tio (oyster) was salvaged by their daughter who sent a photo of the left-behind tickets. "We love oysters, so that's why we came," Ms Xu said. "It is delicious ... In my opinion, the medium size may be the best one." Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters staffer Roger Matahaere is happy to shuck hundreds of oysters for the hordes of festival-goers. Festival chairman John Edminstin said the festival was lucky to have got all the oysters it needed for Saturday. "I told them [festival organisers] to have faith," Mr Edminstin said. "I went out at one o'clock this morning [Saturday], [and] there were five other boats. "Skippers and the crews all went out ... and we got plenty for today." For Mr Chen and Ms Xu, who were originally from China, attending the festival was also their first visit to Bluff. Ms Xu said her friend had strongly recommended the festival which pushed them to make a holiday of the trip. The Bluff first-timers preferred their oysters raw and vowed to return next year. Mr Edminstin said the day had been successful. "It has been very pleasing and rewarding. "The weather's played a part, the oysters arrived after bad weather, the music's good and everybody seemed to be happy."
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Aw shucks: Obstacles overcome to attend festival
Tasting Bluff oysters are Ley Chen (left) and Yuwhan Xu at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival on Saturday. Photos: Nina Tapu Leaving their tickets behind almost cost one Auckland duo their long-awaited chance of slurping down Bluff oysters on Saturday. Married couple Ley Chen and Yuwhan Xu were so excited about going to the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival they left their festival tickets in Auckland. They did not realise they were ticketless until they arrived in Queenstown on Friday. Mr Chen said he could not believe they had forgotten to bring the tickets. "That was the most important thing and we left it [the tickets] behind," Mr Chen said. "My wife bought it ... two months ago." An unusually sunny and hot Bluff day kept the 4000-strong, oyster-loving crowd happy with the smorgasbord of kaimoana (seafood) and game meat on offer. The Auckland couple's dreams of taking part in the annual festival and experiencing the famous Bluff tio (oyster) was salvaged by their daughter who sent a photo of the left-behind tickets. "We love oysters, so that's why we came," Ms Xu said. "It is delicious ... In my opinion, the medium size may be the best one." Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters staffer Roger Matahaere is happy to shuck hundreds of oysters for the hordes of festival-goers. Festival chairman John Edminstin said the festival was lucky to have got all the oysters it needed for Saturday. "I told them [festival organisers] to have faith," Mr Edminstin said. "I went out at one o'clock this morning [Saturday], [and] there were five other boats. "Skippers and the crews all went out ... and we got plenty for today." For Mr Chen and Ms Xu, who were originally from China, attending the festival was also their first visit to Bluff. Ms Xu said her friend had strongly recommended the festival which pushed them to make a holiday of the trip. The Bluff first-timers preferred their oysters raw and vowed to return next year. Mr Edminstin said the day had been successful. "It has been very pleasing and rewarding. "The weather's played a part, the oysters arrived after bad weather, the music's good and everybody seemed to be happy."
Otago Daily Times
25-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Obstacles overcome to attend festival
Tasting Bluff oysters are Ley Chen (left) and Yuwhan Xu at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival on Saturday. Photos: Nina Tapu Leaving their tickets behind almost cost one Auckland duo their long-awaited chance of slurping down Bluff oysters on Saturday. Married couple Ley Chen and Yuwhan Xu were so excited about going to the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival they left their festival tickets in Auckland. They did not realise they were ticketless until they arrived in Queenstown on Friday. Mr Chen said he could not believe they had forgotten to bring the tickets. "That was the most important thing and we left it [the tickets] behind," Mr Chen said. "My wife bought it ... two months ago." An unusually sunny and hot Bluff day kept the 4000-strong, oyster-loving crowd happy with the smorgasbord of kaimoana (seafood) and game meat on offer. The Auckland couple's dreams of taking part in the annual festival and experiencing the famous Bluff tio (oyster) was salvaged by their daughter who sent a photo of the left-behind tickets. "We love oysters, so that's why we came," Ms Xu said. "It is delicious ... In my opinion, the medium size may be the best one." Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters staffer Roger Matahaere is happy to shuck hundreds of oysters for the hordes of festival-goers. Festival chairman John Edminstin said the festival was lucky to have got all the oysters it needed for Saturday. "I told them [festival organisers] to have faith," Mr Edminstin said. "I went out at one o'clock this morning [Saturday], [and] there were five other boats. "Skippers and the crews all went out ... and we got plenty for today." For Mr Chen and Ms Xu, who were originally from China, attending the festival was also their first visit to Bluff. Ms Xu said her friend had strongly recommended the festival which pushed them to make a holiday of the trip. The Bluff first-timers preferred their oysters raw and vowed to return next year. Mr Edminstin said the day had been successful. "It has been very pleasing and rewarding. "The weather's played a part, the oysters arrived after bad weather, the music's good and everybody seemed to be happy."
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Otago Daily Times
Organiser confident there'll be plenty of oysters
John Edminstin. Photo: Luisa Girao While some may be getting a little nervous about whether there will be enough oysters to go around at this year's sold-out Bluff Oyster and Food Festival, organisers are confident there will be plenty. Rough seas have stopped fishing vessels from harvesting the delicacy this week, and operators have been waiting with bated breath for the conditions to settle. However, festival chairman and fisherman John Edminstin said there was no need to be nervous because the conditions were expected to be suitable enough to leave port today, and he and other vessel owners were looking forward to bringing in a good haul. While it all seemed very last-minute for an event that drew thousands of people from around the country, he said the upside was the oysters would be as fresh as they could possibly be tomorrow. - APL
