Arrowtown’s popular Long Lunch — rebranded Long Table — is being served up again on Buckingham St on December 1, after a year’s break due to the Covid-induced chef shortage.
Run by the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association (APBA), it’ll cater for 500 guests whose meals will be provided by nine local restaurants.
For the first time, patrons will be totally covered from the elements so they’ll neither be sun-baked nor drenched by rain as has happened in recent years.
Combined with other health and safety requirements, it’s not a cheap event to run, APBA manager Nicky Busst says, however she’s indebted to key sponsor, Gibbston vineyard Kinross.
‘‘They literally have made this event happen, and I think that’s testament to how Gibbston has become such a part of the Arrowtown community, too.
‘‘They’re doing pre-sales of wine, too, so you can spend more time with your friends and whānau, rather than having to queue.’’
For this 12th event, the beer supplier will be Queenstown’s Cargo Brewery, whose co-owner Malcolm Blakey, fittingly, originally conceived and organised the event.
Busst also puts a shout-out to the ‘‘creative genius’’ of event organiser Mel Gimblett, who’s an organiser of the NZ Open golf tourney held at nearby Millbrook.
She’s also thankful to the participating restaurants who essentially do little more than cover costs.
If there are any proceeds, she’ll ask the community to choose a deserving cause — two years ago the local fire brigade benefited.
‘‘This is an iconic event on the social calendar and we’ve been asked for months when tickets are on sale and when it’s happening, so this was really a no-brainer to get across the line.’’
Tickets are for sale via arrowtownlongtable.co.nz
