Event: 05/03/2016 - 06/03/2016

Loud, vibrant, slightly liquid and portky for young families

Cider and Pork Festival (Photograph by D Sutherland-Bruce)

Cider and Pork Festival (Photograph by D Sutherland-Bruce)

Cider and Pork Festival (Photograph by D Sutherland-Bruce)

Cider and Pork Festival (Photograph by D Sutherland-Bruce)

Cider and Pork Festival (Photograph by D Sutherland-Bruce)

Apart from family and friends and so on there are two things I absolutely love - pork and cider, so when I missed the Cider and Pork Festival last year I was not a happy bunny.But this year I was determined not to miss and when the opportunity presented itself I was there with figurative bells on.The first thing I noticed, if fact had not really thought about was the sheer huge size of the thing. The Oakover grounds are lovely and vast and there were filled to the very brim.The parking was particularly well organised, just as well really as there were truly thousands of cars. Once parked on this glorious and hot sunny day I strolled up to the gate and went into the vibrant, vital hubbub, tickets for free cider in hand.Once I'd walked round the grounds the first time and got the feel of the festival I can tell you that mine is not the age group this is aimed at. The live music was fabulous, loud and engaging, but not my taste, although the crowd was loving it.The queues to the various tasting tents weren't long, but happy and vivacious. There were lots of tables under the shady trees filled with chattering families and groups of friends.The girls were gorgeous in summer clothes, although I couldn't help but notice that 1940s style high-waisted but tight shorts were very popular.The free children's attraction of a bouncy pirate ship was popular, but not as popular as throwing pebbles into Oakover's ornamental lake to hear the plop.The ciders were remarkably diverse, available in $2 tasters or $9 pints, a delectable range from all over Western Australia and some from the eastern states.As well as the ciders there were a number of pork vendors - pulled pork inna bun; pork fajitas; pork dumplings and so on.If I'd been thirty years younger I'd have fit right in and had a bloody fantastic time - as all those who were, did.Very Highly Recommended.