Cup event set to be the 'biggie'

Black Barn Vineyards

Today's 'Mint Juleps and The Melbourne Cup' is set to be one of the big events of the week, as the F.A.W.C! Summer Series continues.

Tourism Hawke's Bay general manager Annie Dundas said the "Melbourne Cup event is the biggie".

"It's all a bit of fun, everyone wearing hats and watching the Cup at Black Barn out on the lawn. It should be great."

The starting time for the event is 3.30pm with "a few tickets" still left.

Ms Dundas said both events yesterday had sold out on a "very lovely Hawke's Bay day".

She said one event that was proving to be popular with punters was 'Wrapped', which was held at Deliciosa in Havelock North.

"It is the interpretation of 'en papillote', the age-old and curious practice of wrapping and cooking food in parchment paper.

"The dishes will be in various wrappings, including paper, banana leaf, corn husks, rock salt, pastry, with international and local wines."

She said ticket sales were trending well heading into a number of events on Saturday and Sunday.

"We have had a huge run on sales over the weekend, leading to the Wineries Ride on Saturday and finishing with the races carnival on Sunday."

The Wineries Ride is a day of cycling around the wineries of Bridge Pa and Gimblett Gravels.

The tour starts from Sileni Estate Winery with some pre-ride hype with celebrity chef Ray McVinnie, before enjoying some of Hawke's Bay's best wine on the trail.

There will be 11 cellar doors offering pre-release tastings, library tastings, picnic boxes and seasonal platters, before a post ride wind-down party at Trinity Hill with live music from Naked Gun and food from Ya Bon French Baker and the Pipi Truck.

The 'Silver Fern Farms Carnivore Carnival' is the climax to the Summer Series with a two-course feast of prime cut Hawke's Bay-farmed meat to be served to guests trackside during a day at the races.