A thousand happy and well-fed participants trampled through the vinyards for signature FOOD Week event, Forage, on Saturday before the 10 days of food festivities ended on Sunday.
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FOOD Week president Michael Sobotta described the overall festival as "fantastic" and people seemed to be excited to get out and enjoy themselves at the various post COVID events.
"I think there's a lot more local interest in coming to events," he said.
"The aim is to get people coming to the region.
"It's nice to do something that people enjoy."
However, he said it was also good to see the tree changers who moved here, some prompted by events such as FOOD Week, as well as the longer-term locals and visitors.
Although there were showers and light rain at times during the week, Mr Sobotta said they held off when it came to the events.
"The weather has been amazing," he said.
"It helps people have to a good time, they are not thinking about being too wet, too dry, too hot, too cold."
He said e received a record number of positive food reviews at Forage, which he described as the best one since he became involved seven years ago.
"Providing food for 1000 people in a paddock is not an easy task," Mr Sobotta said.
"I have never seen so many happy faces walking up the lane to the last station [there was] pure joy on their faces."
Tickets for the sold-out event went on sale in three stages starting with Friends of FOOD members then land owners before going on sale to the public.
Anicka and Martin Shepherd were among this year's FOOD Week visitors.
The couple from Melbourne have been touring NSW and Orange and Bathurst were on their list of places to visit.
Mrs Martin said they visited the Orange Farmers Markets and Canowindra Balloon Festival on Saturday followed by the Producers Market on Sunday.
Jo Stewart from Orange also attended the Producer's Market on Sunday with her family
"We usually try to go to a few events, we did Forage last year," she said adding that they mostly go to child-friendly events such as the markets.
Former Twisted River winery owner Helen Armstrong also travelled back to Orange to attend the Producer's Market on Sunday.
Ms Armstrong owned the winery for 14 years and sold last year but kept the business name and stall, and is continuing to sell the wine online.
"We are in retirement from the vineyard and we will be retired when we sell the rest of the stock," she said.
Planning for next year's FOOD Week will start in the next couple of weeks.
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