Celebrating its 22nd year, FOOD Week will host 180 events across its 10-day program from April 12 to 21.

FOOD Week committee vice-president James Sweetapple said Orange’s FOOD Week was one of the original food and wine festival events.

“There’s a range of events like simple walks in the vineyard,” he said.

Mr Sweetapple said top chefs including Michael Manners, Jeremy Strode and MasterChef’s Kate Bracks were ready to whip you up a feast to remember.

A great event to kick off the FOOD Week program is the night market on Friday, April 12, with entry by gold coin donation.

“Night market is a great event to get some yummy bits of food and a bottle of wine and sit down with friends and listen to music,” Mr Sweetapple said.

The FOOD Affair is not in this year’s program due to a loss of major sponsorship, but Mr Sweetapple said a new FOOD Week Sunday market at Cook Park would be a great replacement.

The market will be held from 8am to 1pm on Sunday, April 21 and entry is free.

“The Sunday producer market in Cook Park [will allow people] to meet the producers, it’s a smaller version of the Food Affair,” Mr Sweetapple  said

This year’s 100 Mile Dinner on Monday, April 15 will be held in the Village Green at Molong.

“There will be seven towns involved within a 100 mile radius and they will be producing a course each,” Mr Sweetapple said.

FOOD Week committee member Jane Arnott said the events were a great opportunity to try some of the great food and wine from across Orange.

“Explore what’s at your back door, where food comes from and where it’s going,” she said.

The FOOD Week program will be launched at today’s Orange Region Farmers Market with the brochure being available online from Monday, February 11.

nadine.morton@fairfaxmedia.com.au