A popular Tasmanian food stall says it has been left out of this year’s Dark Mofo Winter Feast, just months after losing the family matriarch who helped build its reputation at the festival.
Pizzirani’s Cucina announced on social media that it would not be returning for the 2026 event, saying the family had hoped to honour their late Nonna through the festival she had been part of for years.
“After losing our beloved Nonna earlier this year, being part of Winter Feast in 2026 meant more to us than words can express,” the business said in its post.
“We did everything we could to be there and truly hoped for the opportunity to honour the woman who poured so much of her heart into this festival over the years.”
The family said they were not offered a place.
“Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we were not offered a place this year,” the post read.
The business acknowledged the disappointment of its supporters and said it hoped to return at the Taste of Summer event later this year if given the chance.
“Nonna’s story is far from over,” the post said.
“If we are fortunate enough to be offered a place at Taste of Summer later this year, we’ll be there as a family, celebrating Nonna’s legacy the best way we know how through great food, family, and community.”
DarkLab Artistic Director Chris Twite said the organisation was saddened by the family’s loss but explained the festival’s lineup involves a careful selection process each year.
“Of course, we were very sad to hear of the passing of that individual and conveyed our thoughts to that family,” Twite said.
He said the curation process aims to give opportunities to new businesses from across the state.
“Each year we take about the curation of the Dark Mofo Winter Feast very carefully.”
“One of the things that we do is take on that responsibility of ensuring that we’re representing new businesses and businesses from all over the state and giving them that opportunity to be part of that spotlight,” he said.
Twite said the festival was looking forward to welcoming new vendors this year alongside returning favourites.
