The Serpentine Jarrahdale Food and Farm Fest has bounced back strong with a record turnout to Saturday’s comeback event.
Not even the inconveniently timed federal election, Autumn Kalamunda Garden Show, or the first real rainclouds of the year could dampen the enthusiasm for the first Food and Farm Fest since 2022, with over 5000 people filing through the gates at the Serpentine Horse and Pony Club.
There were over 140 entries into the Food and Farm pavilion, over 80 alpacas strutted their stuff for blue ribbons, the old school games on the main arena attracted a large contingent of eager pumpkin rollers and sack racers, and the 100+ stallholders reportedly had a windfall.
“We wanted to get back to grass roots of what a proper ag show is, and hopefully we achieved that,” SJ Food and Farm Alliance (SJFFA) President Alyssa Miller said.
“We’ve had so much positive feedback. Quite a few parents came up to us to express how happy they were there were no mechanical rides, with kids enjoying getting stuck into all the free interactive activities, and getting their hands dirty.
“The main arena games just went off. And the new learning zone was a huge hit.
“It’s been a year and a half of hard slog, and it’s a credit to the whole team that we pulled it off and it turned out to be a really great day.”
Word on the street is that the president of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA has doled out some high praise indeed, saying from the minute he walked through the gates he knew he was at a “a true ag show” and that he was delighted to see local produce for sale, with stallholders from the weekly SJ Farmers Market showing why Serpentine Jarrahdale really is the food bowl of Perth’s south.
Alyssa said the success of this year’s event has refreshed both the SJFFA coffers, and the team’s enthusiasm to do it all again next year.
Photographs – Richard Polden
