2012 Brightwater Wine and Food Festival

Hometown girl Sharon O’Neill is just one of three international acts performing at the ninth Brightwater Wine and Food Festival next year.

Event Manager and Rotary member, Glenda Buschl says she is very excited about the festival line up.

“Sharon loves coming back to perform in Nelson and we are thrilled she’ll be part of the festival,” Glenda says. “With her hits Maxine, Losing you, Asian Paradise, Words, and Danced in the Fire, Sharon became one of the most popular female artists in Australia and New Zealand.”

Headline act for the festival is Glenn Shorrock, a founding member of Aussie super band, Little River Band. LRB had a string of hits including Home on a Monday, Cool Change and Help is on its way.

“Everyone knows an LRB song,” Glenda says, “so I expect the dance floor to be busy.”

Completing the line-up is Mark Williams. Mark had hits with Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life, It Doesn't Matter Anymore and the 1990 single, Show No Mercy. In 2005 Mark became the vocalist for the reformed rock band Dragon.

Glenn, Sharon and Mark have performed together, toured together and been friends for years and Glenda says they are a good mix for the festival and will put on a great show for the crowds.

Four local bands, The Peasants, The Wizard Band, The Saints and The House of Kramit are also performing at the festival. The indie-pop group The Peasants won the 2011 Smokefreerockquest with one of the judges describing lead singer Georgia Nott as ‘one of the best female singers in New Zealand’.

The Wizard Band is made up of some of the best jazz and pop musicians in the industry. Joining the line up is acoustic duo, John Hendry & Candy Blair known as The House of Kramit and high energy six piece Irish band, The Saints.

There’s a significant change in date for this year’s festival. It is now on Sunday, 29 January, Nelson Anniversary Weekend. Glenda says the committee shifted the date so visitors and locals can enjoy the festival over a relaxed long weekend.

The 2012 festival includes a new hospitality zone that Glenda says will host the corporate tents and cooking demonstrations.

“The hospitality zone will be the place to relax at the festival, and we’re urging people to treat their team or clients to a table and a tent and some of our great Nelson al fresco fare.”

Festival stallholders will provide a variety of gourmet foods and award winning local wine, beer and ciders.

The Brightwater Wine and Food Festival is a Richmond Rotary fundraising event that has been able to distribute over $200,000 to local charities over the years. The festival committee will decide after the festival who the beneficiaries will be.

The Brightwater Wine and Food Festival is on Sunday, 29 January 2012 between 11am - 6pm, in Bryant Road, Brightwater. Tickets will be available soon through the festival website, www.bwff.co.nz or at i-SITE centres and the Richmond Mall. Phone 0800 635 827 (NELTAS).