The festival, which InDaily understands will be run by Adelaide event planner Vic Pisani, has been plugged as a “more affordable” version of the SA Tourism Commission’s Tasting Australia event.

The Adelaide City Council will decide next Tuesday to provide in principle support of $62,000 to help launch the event, with that funding contingent on the festival registering as an incorporated entity.

At a meeting last night, the council’s events and festivals sponsorship advisor Paula Stankiewicz said the festival was promoted as an “open-access” event.

“The organisers themselves will run a couple of events – an opening and closing event – and then they will create an online platform so anyone and everyone can register an event to be involved,” she said.

“The idea with this event is that it happens after Tasting Australia and it’s a more affordable option for people to get involved in an event that showcases South Australian produce.”

Stankiewicz said items plugged for next year’s inaugural program include an olive grove experience in the park lands, a “gourmet grandmothers” event, multicultural food hubs, cooking and brewing competitions and a “Food Fringe” podcast.

She said Pisani had also proposed that the festival run a South Australian food awards event at Adelaide Town Hall.

“The recommended funding is to help establish this new event in the city because it provides an excellent opportunity for engagement of city businesses and it’s worth noting that, given this event hasn’t been held previously, it was very well thought-out,” Stankiewicz said.

“Council funds would allow the festival to establish a proof-of-concept, so council funding would be used to employ staff and assist with marketing and contribute to the opening night event.

“The applicant is also proposing that they could use part of the council funds as an incentive to attract businesses to get involved and cover their registration fees.”

InDaily contacted Pisani for comment, but he declined to speak ahead of next Tuesday’s meeting.

Pisani is the founder of multicultural food festival The Travelling Table, which launched last year.

Adelaide Fringe director Heather Croall said the proposed food festival was not related to the Adelaide Fringe.

According to council papers, successful delivery of next year’s inaugural Adelaide Food Fringe would result in continued funding support for 2021 and 2022.

The council is set to vote unanimously in support of providing contingent funding at next week’s meeting.

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