Tasmania’s ninth Tassie Scallop Fiesta will return to Bridport on August 2, with Premier Jeremy Rockliff backing the winter event as a way to draw visitors to the state’s northeast during the quieter months.
The Tasmanian government is investing $77,000 into the festival over three years from 2025 to 2027.
“Tassie Scallop Fiesta is a celebration of our State’s maritime and fishing heritage as well as our premium, fresh Tasmanian produce,” Rockliff said.
“This year’s event will feature more than 40 food and beverage stallholders serving up a range of Tasmanian cuisine along with the finest locally produced wine, beer and spirits.”
The festival will be held at the Village Green and Community Hall in Bridport, with chef demonstrations, masterclasses and a Scallop Splitters Challenge on the program.
Musician C.J. Jones, who rose to prominence after appearing on the ABC’s The Piano, will perform at the event.
TasTAFE trainer Michael Norton and his student Meg Jessop, who won a Nestle prize last year, will handle cooking demonstrations.
Volunteer organiser Tony Scott said the event was designed to bring life to the small coastal town in the middle of the year.
He said organisers expected around 3,000 visitors, roughly double Bridport’s permanent population of about 1,500.
A fringe program begins on July 24 with a storytelling night called the Mariners’ Muse, followed by wine and canape evenings, a live music gig and a buccaneers banquet on the Saturday evening.
Tracey Mallard, chief executive of Visit Northern Tasmania, said the festival had been picked up by Tourism Australia for national promotion.
“We know that one in six people come to Tasmania for an event, so if we can extend that events calendar out, particularly across the off-season, and welcome those people to try something uniquely Tasmanian, then we’re fairly confident they’ll return,” Mallard said.
She said getting visitors into regional areas was critical, as small tourism operators offered a personal experience that encouraged people to come back.
Rockliff said hotel occupancy rates in regional Tasmania sat at 35% to 40%, compared with 60% to 70% in Hobart, Launceston and Devonport, making winter events in smaller towns vital for the local economy.
