New foodie festival Pair’d to replace Gourmet Escape in Margaret River in November

The State Government has unveiled its long-planned successor to the Gourmet Escape with a festival in November focused entirely on the Margaret River region.

Pair’d Margaret River will bring together the Cape’s best wine and food offerings and is teasing a music component in a festival format largely run by WA events managers and now wholly owned by the state government.

Financial details were not disclosed in Tuesday’s announcement, although Pair’d was rumored to be slightly less extravagant than the divisive Gourmet Escape, which involved paying millions to an international events company that attracted top talent to the region, including Heston Blumenthal and Nigella Lawson.

The new contract was for three years, with this year’s festival scheduled for November 14-17, with no plans to extend it to Rottnest or the Swan Valley, as happened in the final days of the Escape.

Perth music and major events company Mellen Events and Sydney-based We Are Gather will work with South West events company Ahoy Management, which already organizes Fine Vines and Cabin Fever festivals in Margaret River.

Ahoy’s Erin Molloy told the Times the ambition was to provide a truly local event that catered to Perth, interstate and international travelers while celebrating the communities that already live here and are crucial to its character.

This also included working better with local suppliers and culinary superstars than the Escape, the Times understands.

“We are very excited to be working on this WA event developed specifically for the Margaret River region, putting the region and its industry back on the world stage where they belong,” Ms Molloy said.

“We have so much incredible talent in the region and we are really looking forward to being part of the team that brings this new event to life.”

Sharna Kearney, director of the Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association, praised the local expertise of event organizers “to develop a new, homegrown wine and food event focused solely on the Margaret River region”.

Ms Kearney also acknowledged the willingness of the Government and Tourism WA to take on board feedback from the region.

She believed Pair’d would “provide visitors with an authentic and memorable connection to our region and deliver strong returns for our industry and community.”

The Escape took off during the pandemic and then Tourism Minister Roger Cook saw the opportunity to sideline the costly international organizers. He dropped the name of the event the company owned in favor of months of backroom discussions with key stakeholders, including the MRBTA.

Few details about Pair’d were available, but the Times understands that the bulk of the festival will consist of ticketed events at wineries and other venues, with businesses encouraged to sign up.

Pair’d will also include a music component, although this would likely be integrated through culinary events rather than standalone concerts, the Times understands.

Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said the government wanted to capitalize on the region’s “huge attractiveness”.

“We can’t think of a better way to showcase our world-class regional assets than through a vibrant festival like this,” she said.

“With regular flights from Melbourne and Sydney connecting seamlessly to the east coast, it has never been easier for travelers to visit the South West, and we expect thousands of out-of-state visitors to enjoy the event in coming years.”

Regional Development Minister Don Punch said the festival would be a boost for South West industries and provide invaluable promotion for the region.

“This event will create vibrancy in the South West and generate flow-on benefits for the local community from increased visitor spend, boosting a wide range of local businesses from farms to wineries,” he said.

Ms Molloy said the program is now in development and encourages all operators to get involved and pitch their concepts directly.

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