A year of hard work and planning and a final wet week of anxiety for organisers ended with a triumphal Nosh on the Namoi on Saturday.
The rain stopped, the skies cleared and the crowds came in droves to make the twelfth annual Nosh the best attended event yet.
“It was a fabulous day,” said Nosh committee president Robyn Smith.
“We couldn’t have asked for better weather.
“The rain was a Godsend - it gave us the water we desperately wanted but it also brought more people to town and into the Nosh.”
Organisers are confident the 2014 Nosh set a new attendance record.
Thousands of visitors strolled among forty exhibitors’ stalls which presented a huge range of food and wine.
First time exhibitors Narrabri date producers Jean and Marie Leculier sold out, as did other food outlets.
Narrabri Dorper lamb growers Bill and Lyn Guest officially launched their lamb products, which were cooked on spit roasts by visiting chef Chris Badenoch.
The appearance of garden guru Costa Georgiadis and the Nosh film making for the kids were new highlights in a day of family entertainment.
“Costa had a captive audience all day,” said Robyn.
“He did an amazing job with the kids.”
Celebrity chef Chris Badenoch’s cooking demonstration and the Courier Cook Off barbecue competition filled the main marquee all day.
The audience saw the Blue Boars’ rugby club team of Tom Cullen and Tahnee Laycock take out the title of The Courier Cook Off champions.
In second place was the Narrabri Fishing Club Team of Don ‘Spider’ Cunningham and Mick Bruce.
Narrabri Education Foundation’s Helen Dugdale and Jocellin Jansson won the People’s Choice Award, with the Youth Shack’s Anna Dugdale and Ethan Wright voted second in that category. Both teams received gift vouchers from Liz’s Gift and Kitchenware.
MC Shanna Whan linked the marquee activities together with a professional commentary.
Shanna’s running dialogue with the Cook Off contestants and Chris Badenoch and The Crossing Theatre’s chef Wayne Gregson was an entertaining highlight of a great day.
Grumpy’s, which distributes homemade ginger beer from Coffs Harbour, won the Best Decorated Stall, and Rosie’s Honey Mustard Dressing was awarded the Best Product.