Five Auckland Foodie Events to Tuck Into This Weekend

Weekends are for eating. Two days of sidestepping the diet and sampling the finest goods at brunches, lunches, farmers' markets and street food bonanzas. This weekend offers a melting pot of foodie events to get your fill, and more. Dust off your stretchy pants and compete for a bacon eating trophy, bring your own vegetation to a massive vegan picnic, celebrate Auckland's ethnic diversity through food, back the environment at a zero waste food festival and eat some delizioso cibo at an Italian street party.

BEER AND BACON FESTIVAL

Umami levels will be off the radar at the inaugural Beer and Bacon Festival. Freemans Bay micro-brewery Sweat Shop is responsible for bringing together two of life's greatest pleasures and will have the beer covered with its latest spring selection. Elsewhere, attendees will be able to try bacon-infused cocktails and beer and sample bacon treats from a variety of stall holders. The main event will be the country's first ever recorded bacon eating championship. As well as getting their fair share of salty goodness, entrants will have the chance of winning $500 worth of bacon for their trouble, plus a voucher and bacon eating trophy.

Saturday 30 September // Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen // $10

WORLD VEGAN DAY PICNIC

If eating cured pig isn't your thing, then look ahead to the World Vegan Day Picnic. The global vegetable celebration falls on a Wednesday this year which isn't particularly convenient for the massive herbivore gathering. So instead of a midweek get-together, the Auckland picnic will go rogue and take place three days earlier on 1 October, inviting local vegans to bring their own feast and share the love with others. A waft of controversy tends to precede each event; this year trolls attempted to stir up plant-eaters with an anti-event called the 'Steak and Eggs Picnic at the World Vegan Day Picnic'.

Sunday 1 October, 12-3pm // Auckland Domain // Free

OTAHUHU FOOD FESTIVAL 2017

Organisers of the Otahuhu Food Festival are expecting their biggest year yet. Over 100 food stalls are lined up for the event on 30 September to celebrate Auckland's ethnic diversity through food. On hand to fill your belly across breakfast, lunch and dinner will be the unmissable Hawaiian Pineapple Hut, raclette food truck Melt, Ugly Hotdogs, Double Dutch Fries and Chicken Madness who apparently serve up the best chicken teriyaki in Auckland. Music is always a popular component of the festival and this year will be no different. Iconie R&B songwriter Che-Fu will headline the mainstage.

Saturday 30 September, 10am-4pm // Great South Road, Otahuhu // Free

FESTIVAL ITALIANO

If the words pizza, Prosecco, gelato and spaghetti alla chitarra al gorgonzola are music to your ears, keep reading and get ready to abandon any reservations with gluten and dairy. Free community street party, Festival Italiano, is the grand finale of the month-long Italian Festival Season. On 1 October, the event will literally stop traffic in Newmarket as it transforms the streets into an Italian market with over 30 stalls and al fresco lunch offerings from leading restaurants. You can expect delicious Italian fare from the likes of: Giapo, Farina, Pasta & Cuore, Pane e Vino, Non Solo Pizza and more.

Sunday 1 October, 11am-4pm // Osborne St, Kent St, Rialto Centre and Lumsden Green // Free

GREEN BAY STREET FOOD FESTIVAL

Green Bay Street Food is a great way to celebrate the beginning of spring by enjoying seasonal kai and supporting waste-free communities. Since its launch last year the entirely clean, green and waste-free food fair has led by example with mandatory compostable packaging. The first event for the second half of the year will feature: Mama Tahina who serve up tasty Mediterranean food, Wise Boys Burgers with their popular plant-based burgers, dumpling house The Rolling Pin, Pork 'N' Beans, The Fab Truck and Mister Gelato.

Saturday 30 September, 5.30pm // Green Bay Community House // Free