Mussels aplenty in Portarlington at annual festival

PORTARLINGTON celebrated its 13th annual mussel festival at the weekend in grand style.

A cheerful, friendly crowd of more than 25,000 were thrilled to attend in beautiful weather on Saturday, with a huge range of things to do, see and eat.

All enjoyed the entertainment from live acts across the stages, and the expanded children’s area and Toby the Dinosaur was a hit not only with the children but adults as well.

More than 200 stalls showcased a beautiful range of food, wine, beer, arts and crafts and especially Portarlington’s famous mussels, of which more than 10 tonnes went out the door, either consumed inside or in boxes to take home.

The festival couldn’t have happened without the help of more than 200 hardworking volunteers – who did everything from setting up, to cooking mussels, to clean up afterwards – or without the help of its great sponsors.

But all the effort paid off in the number of happy festival goers and the benefits to the local community.

Fiona Novak said, “It was a fabulous festival! I had such a great time. Also, everywhere you look, the volunteers were doing an amazing job! Bravo and thank you!” while Kaye Tuddenham said, “Wow amazing effort by volunteers of the Bellarine community, it is an amazing festival”.

Next year’s festival will be on January 11, mark it in your calendars!