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Harvest Food Festival

jennygirl

i see in Waterford news & Star that local restaurant and food establishments are being priced out of their own city festival - most restaurants are not going to have stands at the festival - price has risen from €250 to €2,500 this year - with "barbecue" and burger stalls being brought from Dublin.
the promoter and events co-ordinator for the event are also Dublin companies. The Porterhouse Bar in Dublin are the bar company involved.
Lets watch all our hard earned money go up the motorway to Dublin thanks to City Council yet again!

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angelfalling

invalid wrote: »

so its just a pity that some of local traders wouldn't take the chance on seeing if the changes would work.

It is a lot to ask traders to spend a ridiculous amount of money they cannot afford, ask them to produce for the market in an attempt to make it back in a format that doesn't look promising. As I heard from those involved and those who attended, footfall was no where close to past years on the one day. I'm glad I did not waste 4-5 full days preparing and attending only to come home with nothing. I don't think most people realize how much work goes into attending a large festival like this... its very hard to take a chance that you will make the money being charged to you back.

As far as the past years, yes, there were out-of-towners involved, but that was in addition to the attendance of nearly every local producer in a 30 mile radius from the city. Waterford producers WANTED to be involved, we tried to offer alternative fees and bring more producers to the market and we were turned down. It's all greed.

It's not negativity when something wrong has actually happened. People should speak up when the city is hurting itself. They messed up. When the best thing I've heard about the festival has to do with oversized benches... I've never heard anything negative about the festival in past years, so its not just Waterford people bitching.

Markcheese

A similar thing has been done with some of the cork festivals ... Gouging basically ... There's a couple of local promoters who do the smaller festivals at reasonable rates and any big ones are handled by dublin companies at huge rates...

ToxicPaddy

PremierDeise wrote: »

Just to give my little input - Everyone is kind of pretty quick to jump the gun without the facts saying that all Waterford companies were excluded.
If it makes any difference I own a very small Waterford based company where because of the Harvest Festival I managed to give 12 People 3 days work in the run up to the festival. Yes it may have only been temporary but it just shows that not all Waterford companies were left out.
At the end of the day I understand it would have been absolutely perfect and great for the locality if it was 100% Waterford businesses involved but unfortunately the money is not made from these events by picking one company over another purely because of where they are from.

I completely understand that however what I personally witnessed and what I have heard from those both attending and working at it has been full of negativity towards the organising company and those from Waterford who were part of organising it.

Congrats on you doing what you did re giving 12 people work and managing to get a stall there. It must be very tough running a business in the current climate and succeeding deserves major kudos.

I was not for one minute aiming and criticism at Waterford businesses. It was at the organisers who allowed what happened to happen. I was expecting to go into the festival and see a vast array of local food and craft businesses from Waterford and surrounding areas with people coming in and showing their support by purchasing from them. Sadly this was not the case.

Can you confirm that there was a massive increase on stall prices from last year??

deisemum

I've been full of praise about the great Harvest Festival we've had in the past but this year I had family travel down from Galway and we were all so disappointed with this year's poor offering. They haven't a bull's notion of coming to it again.

It's very disappointing to see a city offer such a poor festival compared to the wonderful one Dungarvan had at Easter.

Ostrom

PremierDeise wrote: »

Just to give my little input - Everyone is kind of pretty quick to jump the gun without the facts saying that all Waterford companies were excluded.
If it makes any difference I own a very small Waterford based company where because of the Harvest Festival I managed to give 12 People 3 days work in the run up to the festival. Yes it may have only been temporary but it just shows that not all Waterford companies were left out.
At the end of the day I understand it would have been absolutely perfect and great for the locality if it was 100% Waterford businesses involved but unfortunately the money is not made from these events by picking one company over another purely because of where they are from.

The issue, unfortunately, is that many of the traders who benefited from last years run their operations part-time. The outlay for last years event was such that small, part-time traders could take advantage of a highly concentrated stream of footfall. It gave them exposure to visitors, increased product awareness amongst local customers who mightn't attend farmers markets, and allowed them to turn a reasonable profit. This years price inflation suggests nothing less than disgusting greed - and this is the part I cant understand - what incentive was there, for a local council, to price out local producers, and outsource the event management?

ToxicPaddy

efla wrote: »

The issue, unfortunately, is that many of the traders who benefited from last years run their operations part-time. The outlay for last years event was such that small, part-time traders could take advantage of a highly concentrated stream of footfall. It gave them exposure to visitors, increased product awareness amongst local customers who mightn't attend farmers markets, and allowed them to turn a reasonable profit. This years price inflation suggests nothing less than disgusting greed - and this is the part I cant understand - what incentive was there, for a local council, to price out local producers, and outsource the event management?

Absolutely agree 100%. These festivals are supposed to help small local businesses showcase their products, give them exposure to potential new customers and above all allow the local community support local businesses.

pharmaton

If nothing else has come of the weekend it more than highlights the total incompetence of the backscratchers down in city hall, it's disgusting to think that what the people of Waterford made successful through their own initiative and hard work over the years was ripe for exploitation, pretty much like everything else they've done.

Smiley Burnett

if anybody in Waterford wants to see how to run a successful food-orientated festival, just pop up to Dungarvan!! The West Waterford Festival of Food is one of the most successful in Ireland!! OFTEN COPIED, BUT NEVER EQUALLED!!

sillysocks

Was definitely a disappointment yesterday, and didn't entice me to go back in again today as I would have other years.
In the Park on previous years I'm pretty sure there were stalls all the way around the fountain, as well as lunch bags available for the 'picnic'. This year there were only two stalls there.

The other disappointment was the 'blaa' I got from Mary Grimes in the local producer tent. Advertised sausages in a blaa, instead I got handed a soft hot dog style roll. Ok it wasn't expensive and didn't ruin my day but local places should be using proper blaas if that's what they advertise! I complained and was told 'well its kind of like a blaa'.

The headbands being sold by the hospice were lovely and a good idea to raise money!

Dicky Pride

Obviously what has happened here is that they saw a local festival and wanted to make it bigger and better than ever.

The tall ships festival gave people a possibly unrealistic expectation of what can be achieved in Waterford. They looked at the harvest festival and decided that it could be so much more than it actually was. Waterford became th venue for it as opposed to it being a Waterford Festival.

The amount of stalls that they had on the mall did not justify using that space and creating so much traffic chaos. The over sized furniture and the flags were a great touch but the diversity of the stalls was pretty poor.

The beerfest looked impressive and Bolton street was definitely better than what they had on the mall. Bands were great and there were a few more interesting stalls there, including the joint Waterford one.

The biggest mistake they made this year was thinking that just because someone was from Dublin, it was better than it's Waterford equivalent. We have some great PR companies in Waterford, so why did that job go to Dublin? Revolution could have done the job on the beer fest...I saw nothing there that justified a Dublin company getting the tender.

deisemum

Smiley Burnett wrote: »

if anybody in Waterford wants to see how to run a successful food-orientated festival, just pop up to Dungarvan!! The West Waterford Festival of Food is one of the most successful in Ireland!! OFTEN COPIED, BUT NEVER EQUALLED!!

Couldn't agree more, Dungarvan's festival was great and I came home laden down with produce unlike here. I do go to the Butlerstown market the odd time though.

Jason Todd

I really hope the clowns who organised this shambles can read this thread and get a sense of people's disappointment.

Sully

I think the lads are coming in for a bit too much criticism here. From the outside its easy to bash it and give out. But from the inside, the people organising this know just how much its going to actually cost finacially and in terms of time. I think if it goes over 5,000+ people than you are talking big money getting event licenses sorted, event management plans, insurance, and security as basic requirements before you can even look at doing anything.

It appears that the festival organisers wanted to do something bigger and better this year and their grand plan simply failed because people want to see the smaller guys and more local produce. By aiming high you end up pricing out the little guys. Not intentionally. Its not a conspiracy against Waterford people or its traders. They wanted a bigger brighter cooler festival along with everything else but it just doesn't work. In order to raise the funds, the cost of setting up increases significantly. You need sponsors to try bring down the cost so others can still come in but that doesn't appear to have worked here. The bigger guys from Dublin or wherever were able to come on down because this is what they do - they are able to pay the bigger money and they go to festivals like this. The smaller guys expect it much much cheaper or for nothing (in some cases, from experience doing a small festival in Tramore).

They got their bigger and brighter festival but the downside was that local traders got left out in the cold and it appears by reading here that many found the event wasn't as good. So the organisers got it wrong and need to go back to basics and see if there can be basic improvements without causing substantial cost increases and end up with something radically different. Don't shoot the guys and girls for trying to make it bigger and better. Its for us, the people of Waterford, to be proud of and to shout about. To benefit us. The organisers appear to have acknowledged mistakes were made and will see about addressing them for next year.

O Riain

Sully wrote: »

I think the lads are coming in for a bit too much criticism here. From the outside its easy to bash it and give out. But from the inside, the people organising this know just how much its going to actually cost finacially and in terms of time. I think if it goes over 5,000+ people than you are talking big money getting event licenses sorted, event management plans, insurance, and security as basic requirements before you can even look at doing anything.

It appears that the festival organisers wanted to do something bigger and better this year and their grand plan simply failed because people want to see the smaller guys and more local produce. By aiming high you end up pricing out the little guys. Not intentionally. Its not a conspiracy against Waterford people or its traders. They wanted a bigger brighter cooler festival along with everything else but it just doesn't work. In order to raise the funds, the cost of setting up increases significantly. You need sponsors to try bring down the cost so others can still come in but that doesn't appear to have worked here. The bigger guys from Dublin or wherever were able to come on down because this is what they do - they are able to pay the bigger money and they go to festivals like this. The smaller guys expect it much much cheaper or for nothing (in some cases, from experience doing a small festival in Tramore).

They got their bigger and brighter festival but the downside was that local traders got left out in the cold and it appears by reading here that many found the event wasn't as good. So the organisers got it wrong and need to go back to basics and see if there can be basic improvements without causing substantial cost increases and end up with something radically different. Don't shoot the guys and girls for trying to make it bigger and better. Its for us, the people of Waterford, to be proud of and to shout about. To benefit us. The organisers appear to have acknowledged mistakes were made and will see about addressing them for next year.

I really don't see where the effort to make it bigger and better went. Poor variety of food and an extremely limited number of stalls is all I saw

Deise67

don't take any pleasure in knocking a local event but too be honest it was a shadow of former years ! food was limited hot dogs n burgers in the main ! no cafe Goa no side street filled wit stalls, pity but I'd if this was peoples first year here there wont be much repeat business ! shame I would suggest abandoning this format and reverting to the former ! just my opinion !

Ostrom

Sully wrote: »

I think the lads are coming in for a bit too much criticism here. From the outside its easy to bash it and give out. But from the inside, the people organising this know just how much its going to actually cost finacially and in terms of time. I think if it goes over 5,000+ people than you are talking big money getting event licenses sorted, event management plans, insurance, and security as basic requirements before you can even look at doing anything.

It appears that the festival organisers wanted to do something bigger and better this year and their grand plan simply failed because people want to see the smaller guys and more local produce. By aiming high you end up pricing out the little guys. Not intentionally. Its not a conspiracy against Waterford people or its traders. They wanted a bigger brighter cooler festival along with everything else but it just doesn't work. In order to raise the funds, the cost of setting up increases significantly. You need sponsors to try bring down the cost so others can still come in but that doesn't appear to have worked here. The bigger guys from Dublin or wherever were able to come on down because this is what they do - they are able to pay the bigger money and they go to festivals like this. The smaller guys expect it much much cheaper or for nothing (in some cases, from experience doing a small festival in Tramore).

They got their bigger and brighter festival but the downside was that local traders got left out in the cold and it appears by reading here that many found the event wasn't as good. So the organisers got it wrong and need to go back to basics and see if there can be basic improvements without causing substantial cost increases and end up with something radically different. Don't shoot the guys and girls for trying to make it bigger and better. Its for us, the people of Waterford, to be proud of and to shout about. To benefit us. The organisers appear to have acknowledged mistakes were made and will see about addressing them for next year.

I don't see how any of the additional measures and changes implemented this year could possibly have amounted to 'bigger and brighter'. This was a planned reduction of scale, and a complete overhaul of the promotion, sponsorship, location, and range. In what sense could this have been better than last years huge success?

thomasm

Sully wrote: »

I think the lads are coming in for a bit too much criticism here. From the outside its easy to bash it and give out. But from the inside, the people organising this know just how much its going to actually cost finacially and in terms of time. I think if it goes over 5,000+ people than you are talking big money getting event licenses sorted, event management plans, insurance, and security as basic requirements before you can even look at doing anything.

It appears that the festival organisers wanted to do something bigger and better this year and their grand plan simply failed because people want to see the smaller guys and more local produce. By aiming high you end up pricing out the little guys. Not intentionally. Its not a conspiracy against Waterford people or its traders. They wanted a bigger brighter cooler festival along with everything else but it just doesn't work. In order to raise the funds, the cost of setting up increases significantly. You need sponsors to try bring down the cost so others can still come in but that doesn't appear to have worked here. The bigger guys from Dublin or wherever were able to come on down because this is what they do - they are able to pay the bigger money and they go to festivals like this. The smaller guys expect it much much cheaper or for nothing (in some cases, from experience doing a small festival in Tramore).

They got their bigger and brighter festival but the downside was that local traders got left out in the cold and it appears by reading here that many found the event wasn't as good. So the organisers got it wrong and need to go back to basics and see if there can be basic improvements without causing substantial cost increases and end up with something radically different. Don't shoot the guys and girls for trying to make it bigger and better. Its for us, the people of Waterford, to be proud of and to shout about. To benefit us. The organisers appear to have acknowledged mistakes were made and will see about addressing them for next year.

Not sure how scaling it down is trying to make it bigger and better. If you mean bigger by marketing it better and bringing in more crowds that's one interpretation.

But making it bigger attendance wise and stopping events that people enjoyed makes little sense. Events like the tractor show, mobile animal farm, kiddies amusements, threshing machine displays, that tossing the bale over the high bar event are ones I recall the family enjoying last year. All that is gone in the 'bigger event'. The only thing bigger is those benches and seats unfortunately.

Also what's really noticeable by this thread is not the bitching but the genuine disapointment of locals

jennygirl

O Riain wrote: »

I really don't see where the effort to make it bigger and better went. Poor variety of food and an extremely limited number of stalls is all I saw

there was a substantial investment in the "look" of the festival, and paying event organisers, pr companies etc - but if the product isnt good..whats the point?

Sully

I haven't been into this years festival yet so I am going by what pictures I see online and various reports. The mini farm is there today though, across from Waterford Crystal.

joni1

Deise67 wrote: »

don't take any pleasure in knocking a local event but too be honest it was a shadow of former years ! food was limited hot dogs n burgers in the main ! no cafe Goa no side street filled wit stalls, pity but I'd if this was peoples first year here there wont be much repeat business ! shame I would suggest abandoning this format and reverting to the former ! just my opinion !

Have to agree. Nice atmosphere in there, some great grub but the choice was quite limited compared to other years. Presuming the rumoured cost of the piches is to blame

7upfree

PremierDeise wrote: »

Just to give my little input - Everyone is kind of pretty quick to jump the gun without the facts saying that all Waterford companies were excluded.
If it makes any difference I own a very small Waterford based company where because of the Harvest Festival I managed to give 12 People 3 days work in the run up to the festival. Yes it may have only been temporary but it just shows that not all Waterford companies were left out.
At the end of the day I understand it would have been absolutely perfect and great for the locality if it was 100% Waterford businesses involved but unfortunately the money is not made from these events by picking one company over another purely because of where they are from.

It is, however, worth noting that the companies who were excluded are, in the main, the ones who stand by local charities, sporting clubs and the like throughout the year.

Not the ones who pitched for three days - then vamoosed.

Everything begins at home.

7upfree

thomasm wrote: »

Also what's really noticeable by this thread is not the bitching but the genuine disapointment of locals

Thank you.

Dicky Pride

Criticism after an event I can accept. Criticism before it even starts however...

doublejj

went yesterday with kids,not too bad too be fair expensive to say the least nothing as good as stalls winterval...on high point had two beers from porterhouse brewing company very nice and the music was good..dungarvan festival much much better

ToxicPaddy

Dicky Pride wrote: »

Criticism after an event I can accept. Criticism before it even starts however...

Very true however a lot of small local suppliers being priced out before it even starts despite them being there the last few years is going to leave a sour taste in the mouths of a lot of people..

That word spread and a lot of negativity spread from there. It was all handled very badly and in a city that has been suffering particularly badly in the recession needs all the help it can get.

Seeing companies come in and take over something they have helped build is not a good feeling for anyone to accept. So I can understand it to a certain extent.

However a lot of posters here including myself have actually attended the event and are speaking from experience not just hearsay.

JPA

Sully wrote: »

I haven't been into this years festival yet so I am going by what pictures I see online and various reports. The mini farm is there today though, across from Waterford Crystal.

I don't think you should be trying to defend the festival of you weren't in there.
The was a real sense of "is this it?" compared to past ones.

Martin_D

Cheese, breads, scones, jams, fruit, veg, meats, flowers, plants, tarts, pickles, spices, cup cakes, honey, etc etc .................. these are the things of a food festival or more relevant here a harvest festival. Little to reflect the timing of this event - its supposed to mark the seasonal reaping what was sown months ago

Where were they this year - from near and far?????????

Beer tent and music - great and well organised. Bolton Street as a venue works.

Hot Food stalls - very very limited but were of good quality, Not enough locals tho'

Not enough for kids - small animal farm OK today but little else.

Crafts - very limited and again few local or small operators (festival should accommodate all from near and far)

Finally - pushing EVERYTHING - into the Viking Triangle is tending to diminish the rest of the inner City. Closing The Mall was hardly justified for what was actually located there.

And yes I was there several times over the week and agree with those who have reflected disappointment on here with this years fare and the direction it has taken. We want and need this to succeed. To those involved this year - well done - for next year lessons learned must be reflected in changes to format.

decies

Very good point about this pushing things into the Viking Triangle the councill seemed to be upsessed about that area of city and not doing enough , I walked up barronstrand street to Michael Street Friday morning ok weather not the best but I was shocked how empty the heart of the city was of people , I think it's about time they contacted Galway and Kilkenny to see what's the secret of getting life into the city centre ,at the moment it's a miserable failure down there .

pharmaton

absolutely agree, walked up through the town Friday and Saturday and it was pretty miserable. The designated area of the market is not the heart of the city but it seems the people with their fingers on the buttons are wishing it were. Do they not have enough cultural emphasis in that area already? It has been inundated with funds and grants and permits while the city center is slowly decomposing while being strangled with phenomenal rates. Leave it for museums and theatres and local tourist attractions. The harvest festival is all about local produce and local people, it shouldn't really be another plastic paddy parade to prop up an already over glorified tourist hot spot.

Nypd

Was talking to a local trader down there today, I was told that a stall on the mall was €600, doesn't sound too bad to me.
It was busy today and the bands on both the mall and the beer festival stages were very good and local.
Had a good day there with the kids.
It was a lot different from previous years the market would be great if it was pushed up around cathedral square also.
I'm sure lessons have been learned,
The contract to run this event was put out to tender so I don't see what all the giving out is about.