From May 19 to May 21, Maitland Taste, presented by Mutual Bank, returned to The Levee all in the name of celebrating good food, wine and produce from the Hunter Region and surrounds.

With Maitland's reputation as a hub for quality local produce, restaurants and home cooks growing, the three day event featured an array of stalls and activities featuring local, regional and organic produce.

The program included gourmet food and artisan markets, food trucks, cooking and garden demonstrations, live music, kids activities and more.

The fun extended into the night with vibrant lighting installations and pop up eateries found in laneways. Visitors were able to taste their way through the many local restaurants and food trucks peppered throughout The Levee while taking in the sounds of live music from talented local musicians.

The Shared Zone

The Shared Zone at The Levee was home to a host of local food and wine stalls, food trucks, activities for kids and cooking demonstrations.

From wine, cheese and flowers to freshly baked bread, delicious meals and decadent sweets, there was something for the whole family to enjoy in The Shared Zone.

Visitors chose from food stalls like Dos Churros, Sofrito Paella and Choux Patisserie, or explored wine with the likes of Greenway Wines, Parched Crow Wines and Hungerford Hill Estate. 

Pop Up Eateries

In addition to the incredible range of stallholders at The Shared Zone, Maitland Taste featured two exciting pop up eateries, offering two unique and immersive experiences. 

Each eatery had its own line up of live entertainment, delicious food and seating areas.

Lovers Lane took over Coffin Lane, serving gourmet woodfired pizza and a selection of fine wine from Greenway Wines, paired with intimate styling, music and lighting.

Or, visitors headed to Dransfield Lane and stepped into a world of savoury aromas and exotic flavours as they wandered through the food stalls. 

Kitchen Stage 

The Kitchen Stage hosted cooking demonstrations by local chefs and Maitland Taste stallholders on Saturday. From paddock to plate and playing with flavours, expert presenters took to the stage to teach their tips and tricks about cooking with fresh, local produce. 

Garden Stage

For all you green thumbs out there, a range of Garden Demonstrations happened on Sunday. The demonstrations taught visitors how to make their backyard more self sufficient and explore the many practical ways to get a backyard thriving with food, herbs, and flowers using organic and permaculture techniques.

Entertainment

With over 30 talented musicians and performers from Maitland and the region, Maitland Taste was a haven for live music lovers. 

Kids Patch

Maitland Taste was the perfect place to enjoy a day out with the whole family, with a range of fun and engaging activities for kids of all ages.

Kids could explore their creative side with arts and crafts facilitated by the Maitland-Rutherford Girls Guide, or get involved with one of the many play kitchens – there was something to keep everyone entertained. 

Pumpkin Precinct

The Pumpkin Precinct was jam packed over the Taste weekend with produce sourced from the local region, thanks to Slow Food Hunter Valley.

Patrons enjoyed fresh produce direct from the farmer including a range of seasonal winter vegetables. There was also a range of kids workshops where kids could learn how to make delicious meals using sustainable ingredients sourced locally.

Lighting Installations

Interactive installations lit up both Friday and Saturday nights at Maitland Taste this year, with live projections on The Riverlink and installations from ‘Imaginary Botanicals’ and ‘Chromatica’. 'Imaginary Botanicals' featured nearly 400 handcrafted flowers made out of recycled plastic. Visitors could wander through the installation, or just sit or listen to the soothing soundscape.

'Chromatica' is a giant deconstructed kaleidoscope that visitors could spin to see the incredible display of moving colour.

Maitland Taste

When: Returning 2024
Where: The Levee, Central Maitland
More Info: check out The Levee's Facebook page for updates on Maitland Taste 2024