14 January 2012 - 0 Comments

The 2012 Auckland Seafood Festival will be held on the 28th, 29th & 30th January 2012 at Wynyard Quarter.

This year's Auckland Seafood Festival promises to lead you on an epic journey of seafood discovery. Come along this Anniversary weekend for the ultimate seafood experience, follow the Hapuku Trail around the festival and allow your senses to be overloaded with the sensational smells and tantalizing tastes of succulent seafood.

As you enter the festival look out for the frozen walls of fish and keep an eye out above you - fish are pretty cunning so be prepared! Sharpen your fishing skills and fill your tackle boxes at this year's brand new Recreational Fishing Area. Learn from Top Catch Bait & Tackle and New Zealand's top fishing gurus as they show you the latest fishing tips and tricks, right through to cooking your catch.

New to this year's festival is the Metro Dine on Dockside, home to the Electrolux Restaurant Alley, New Zealand's biggest seafood restaurant! Eight of Auckland's most prestigious eateries - Sails, Dine by Peter Gordon, Bracu, Bellota, Kermadec, Marvel Grill, Hammerheads and Urban Turban - will serve up a variety of mouthwatering dishes, starring the best seafood this country has to offer.

Enjoy stunning views of the viaduct and Auckland's BIG little city while feasting on Champagne and oysters in the G.H. Mumm Champagne & Oyster Marquee, the perfect accompaniment to a summer's day.

Every day is a school day with the Electrolux Auckland Seafood School. The popular cooking theatre makes a triumphant return and for the first time ever you're invited to join the fun! Two lucky audience members at each show will be chosen to compete in the Taste Magazine Great Seafood Cook-Off. Incredible prizes are up for grabs including a seafood dinner party for ten. Prepared by renowned chef and food writer Luca Villari, our lucky winner will also prepare the menu and go shopping for the dinner party with Luca.

Grab your passport and set off on a taste adventure not for the fainthearted in the Wild Seafood Challenge. Those brave souls adventurous enough to chow down six unique and uncommon seafood dishes - Octopus, Kina, Prawnkillers, Welks, Kina Shots and Seacumber will be in to win great prizes. Simply try every dish, get your passport stamped and you could win a fantastic prize.

It wouldn't be the Auckland Seafood Festival without a huge a variety of food stalls, all plating up delicious seafood delights. The northern wharf also hosts the festivals first ever Mussel Mania "Mussel Bar" which matches the perfect Moa beer to your dish. Grab a delicious seafood chowder and let the sweet sound of the blues lullaby you to seafood heaven at Chowder Blues and Brews, as the more lively among you scoot down the rustic Scampi Street sampling grilled, baked, steamed and barbequed scampi sensations.

Located on the upper north facing deck of the Viaduct Events Centre, the ANZ Lookout boasts majestic views of Auckland Harbour. Relax in the lounge furniture on the festival's premium deck and enjoy smoked fish complimented with a selection of local wines and cider. Or if you want a younger vibe, visit the ZM Groove Lounge at the other end of the building on the first floor.

Families and their youngsters are catered for with the Happy Snappers Club. FYD KiwiCan provide the party with treasure hunts in the giant sandpit, fishing games, and seafood cooking classes. Sustainable Coastlines teach kids how to recycle and also present an original ‘rubbish wall' made from a December beach clean on Rangitoto Island.

The entertainment hub during the event is at the Classic Hits ‘Soundshell' with local headline acts Hello Sailor, The Fourmyula, and Avalanche City performing, plus the NZ Navy Band, all bringing the sounds of summer to the end of the wharf. We also have roving performers who will pop up unexpectedly to add an even bigger smile to your face, while a selection of the best from the International Buskers Festival will also entertain each day. Plus this year we have live music from Blues Toulouse at Chowder Brews & Blues while Jonny Love, Uncle Monkey and Anna Hawkins will be serenading the diners at Metro Dine on Dockside.

As you finally head for home after a day of seafood & fun in the sun, the Oceanz Seafood Market is the place to purchase the fresh seafood you've been sampling with a huge range including clams, oysters, filleted fish, mussels and even live fish, filleted in front of you by the talented Oceanz crew.

And don't forget to stop off in the Seafood Shop to check out the great deals on fishing books and DVD's, aprons, festival t-shirts and seafood cookbooks so you can recreate your favourite dishes from the festival, and much more.

General admission tickets are $20 but until 31 December 2011 tickets are just $15 online at Eventfinder. No booking fees or delivery charges.

Thanks to www.aucklandseafoodfestival.co.nz for this story.

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