Katherine events: Food Collective 2024 falls over due to lack of vendor interest

A Top End council has announced the third edition of a formerly popular event will no longer go ahead after only two vendors put their hands up.

Katherine Food Collective 2023. Picture: Facebook/ Katherine Town Council

A Top End council has announced the third edition of a formerly popular event will no longer go ahead after only two vendors put their hands up.

Katherine Town Council announced on Friday that the third edition of Katherine Food Collective, a fortnightly dry season food van event held in the carpark of Katherine Cinema 3, would not go ahead in 2024.

In a statement, the council said the event had been put “on ice” after only two vendors put their hands up – previous instalments had featured as many as six local food vans, in addition to music and other entertainment.

Chief executive Ingrid Stonhill said the dearth of local vendors willing to participate was “disappointing” and noted a community survey undertaken last year “highlighted the community’s support for the event”.

She said that 6000 meals were served by vendors at the inaugural collective in 2022.

“The council is committed to activating our town during the dry season, and we will concentrate our efforts on hosting a fantastic street party, which was planned as the Food Collective’s finale,” Ms Stonhill said.

“We also want to encourage locals to consider food trailers as a business option, so the council is considering how it can support people in taking that step.”

Ms Stonhill said the council was also considering adding new, smaller events in the Town Square and the Hot Springs this dry season to the town’s vibrant dry season calendar.

Several previous vendors who participated in the Food Collective previously have moved on to till new fields, while others are no longer in business.

The owners of Little Greek Delights, which was part of 2023 collective, announced on April 4 they would be returning to their native Queensland.

“We have absolutely loved being part of the Katherine community and introducing you all to our favourite Greek treats,” owner Marissa Papageorge and partner John Little said.

Mr. Tom’s Wood Fired Pizza, a mainstay of the 2022 collective, is now based in Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains.

Hector Certeza, who operates the Bondi & Bourke fish and chips van alongside his wife, told the NT News that the business was on hold due to short-staffing at their full-time jobs.

“My wife is now working 12 hour days,” he said.

“We can’t find the time for Bondi & Bourke because we are always at work.”