March 7, 2015
There’s a group of friends who are looking forward to this year’s Wine and Food in the Park Festival even more than usual … the Kingaroy High School Class of 1995.
The group are celebrating the 20th anniversary of leaving school, and they have a lot of stories to catch up on.
Sharna Mills, one of the team of organisers, said the celebration wasn’t limited to the students who made it through to the end of Year 12 in 1995; they also want to catch up with their classmates who may have left school in earlier years of high school.
When southburnett.com.au spoke to Sharna a few weeks ago, she had already managed to contact 50 former classmates but she was confident she would track down even more before Wine and Food in the Park on March 14.
A Facebook group has been set up to allow people to find out more about the reunion and chat with each other in private. It now has more than 100 members so Sharna’s efforts at tracking down ex-students are obviously paying off.
The organisers are planning to have a gazebo, chairs and tables in the park, and a display of memorabilia and photographs.
They want the Class of 1994 to meet at the gazebo (inside the festival grounds at Memorial Park) at 3:00pm on the Saturday.
And then on Sunday, they are planning a “family morning” (details will be available at the gazebo).
Anyone who would like more information about the reunion should contact Sharna on 0408-723-504 or Nancy Stronge on 0439-797-222.
- External link: Class of 1995 Reunion Group page
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The organising committee has been busy adding the final touches to the 2015 South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival.
Committee chairman Darren Schmidt said it would be easier to simply run the exact same festival every year but that it wouldn’t be fair on regular patrons.
“When we speak to first-time visitors, particularly those visiting from other areas, they’re amazed at the atmosphere, the value and quality of the wine and food,” Darren said.
“Over so many years, we’re reasonably confident we’ve got the basic formula right, but for the repeat customers we’re always trying something different.
“We trialled the Dinner Under the Stars event last year, and also trialled a craft beer stall. And we are always tweaking the gourmet strip to ensure the flavours are fresh and new.”
Dinner Under The Stars will be on again this year – on Friday, March 13 – and there are still a few tickets available. Cost is $80 for a gourmet three-course meal prepared by award-winning chef Jimmy Stephen. Dress is formal. Tickets can be booked online
The entertainment on Saturday is likewise an ever-changing palette to keep patrons happy.
“We got lots of big band entertainment this year, some cool blues, and this year we’ll be finishing the evening in the beer tent with some pumping acoustic artists so that’ll be a heap of fun,” Darren said.
“And, as always, we’ll have some quirky characters sneaking amongst the crowds and bringing the best of Queensland’s street theatre right here to the South Burnett.
The South Burnett Wine and Park Festival is sponsored this year by by Downer EDI, PCA, South Burnett Regional Council and Westpac.
Gates open at noon on March 14 and will run until 8:00pm. No BYO. Entry cost is $15 for adults while U18s are free.
