{"id":275034,"date":"2020-09-07T16:25:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-07T06:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=275034"},"modified":"2020-09-07T20:45:41","modified_gmt":"2020-09-07T10:45:41","slug":"crowd-turns-out-for-twilight-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/09\/07\/crowd-turns-out-for-twilight-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Crowd Turns Out For Twilight Fun"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Phyllis Hopf chatted with Steve and Kim Boyter at Saturday’s Goomeri Gourmet and Twilight Markets … the trio were very pleased with the large turnout after having to defer the event for six months because of pandemic concerns<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 7, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Goomeri’s first Twilight Markets following this year’s COVID-19 shutdowns has been hailed a great success.<\/p>\n

The Saturday evening event, held in Market Square next to the old railway station building, operated under a COVID Safe plan and attracted a big crowd eager to enjoy some tasty food and browse for some bargains.<\/p>\n

The Twilight Markets – organised by the Pumpkin Festival committee – are usually held quarterly as a fundraiser for the annual festival.<\/p>\n

The festival was cancelled this year due to COVID-19, but the setback has only firmed the committee’s resolve to make the iconic event even bigger and better next year.<\/p>\n

Festival co-ordinator Kim Boyter admitted the cancellation had been “a blow”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Goomeri is famous for our Pumpkin Festival, and normally the town gets a bit of a boost for six months after it runs,” she said.<\/p>\n

“We’ve really been missing that boost this year.”<\/p>\n

But Kim said she was very pleased with Saturday’s turn-out, which was run as a COVID Safe event – creating extra work for the organisers.<\/p>\n

Each visitor had to sign in and hand sanitiser was widely available.<\/p>\n

Kim said she had been unsure how many people would come along.<\/p>\n

“There are a lot of people who are still reluctant to go out because they’re worried about COVID,” Kim said.<\/p>\n

“But it’s nice to see so many people out for the evening, and it’s nice to be able to bring something like this that everyone enjoys.”<\/p>\n

The Twilight Markets began\u00a0in October 2018 with a two-fold aim: to allow guests to sample a wide range of food vans and market stalls in a town where dining and shopping choices are limited, and to help raise funds for the Pumpkin Festival.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Saturday afternoon, these two goals were easily achieved.<\/p>\n

Market Square was packed end-to-end with stalls along one side and food vans on the other, while music played over a PA system.<\/p>\n

Visitors could sit down to enjoy seafood, burgers, Mexican cuisine, foot-long German sausages, fudges, loaded potatoes, ice-creams, pancakes and gourmet coffee for dinner at tables spaced around the grounds.<\/p>\n