Summer Days

Every year in summer Hobart hosts the 'Hobart Summer Festival', with events all over the place, from music stuff, busking things, drama events, foody stuff, and all kinds of everything in between. People often say that Tasmania moves at a slower pace than the rest of Australia, but come in January, and you'll really see us at our relaxation best. One of the key events is the Taste. It used to be the Taste of Tasmania, but appears to have changed to the Taste Festival now. It's been developing over the years (23 now), and in the last couple of years the Hobart City Council has put some very intentional effort into improving it all. It's held on the wharf, around the area the Sydney to Hobart, Melbourne to Hobart and Launceston to Hobart boats all come in, and the central point is a big shed on one of the piers. In past years it's been a bit grotty, but great - portaloos, occasional battles for seating, plenty of amazing food and sunshine. This year they've done the whole shed up, put in proper loos, and spread the whole area out over the road and onto Salamanca lawns. If you haven't been there, you won't quite know the areas I'm talking about, but let's just say there's now a far bigger area to hang out in, with big grassy spaces, beanbags, lots of benches and tables, shade cloths, and general tizzing up. I was sad to see that the ceiling hangings are no longer happening - schools used to make displays that were hung from the roof of the shed, I remember helping make a giant squid out of paper mache in grade 6, and the pride I felt when I saw it hanging over the heads of the entire population of Tasmania.

But while the Taste is all about socialisation, hanging out with friends, it really revolves around food. Food and drink makers from all over Tasmania bring their goods, and the shed is full of smells from wallaby burgers (yum) to Turkish pitas to scallops, accompanied by good wines, beers, ciders, ginger beers, juices, and other beverages. They usually sell small and full sized meals, with the intention that you can try things from lots of different places, or just get a good meal from one place. This year there are fewer food stalls, and there were plenty of complaints about that, but there's still a pretty good range of stuff, and a few stalls I hadn't ever seen before.

I went along with a group of friends for lunch, we ate some food, hung out for a bit then went our own ways. The sun was vicious, and despite my sunscreen my shoulders copped it a little bit, but it was beautiful. This decked area is all new, and there was barbershop quartet cruising around serenading various tables. The buskers and entertainers are one of my favourite things at the Taste - there's specific busking space, with people who perform at a lot of the big festivals around the world, but there's also roving entertainers who don't expect any tips, are just there to show off their skills.

My parents were also at the Taste, so I got a lift in with them, and organised to communicate when they were heading off home - if I was ready I'd go with them. After my friends went their own way I rang them, arranged to meet and head off. Then I bumped into a group of friends on the lawns. Chatting to them, I spotted another couple of friends walking past. "Whoops, I need to talk to them!" I cried and chased after. We mosied along, discussed the vital question of going to the beach, and then found another table full of friends. Chat chat, then inside to find some summer berries. Mmmmm. Who should I then bump into but another table of more friends! That's actually fairly standard for the Taste.

So I spent an entertaining afternoon lying around on the grass in beanbags, drinking chilli-lime and pepperberry gin goodness, watching a couple of friends dance (for a bet) to one of the live music acts, and organising a trip to the beach.

Summer days, I do love you so.