MEDIA RELEASE
22 APRIL 2010
Brendon Pongia For Bluff Oyster Festival
TV star, former Tall Black and a man who obviously appreciates fine food, Brendon Pongia, will be a guest at this years
Bluff Oyster & Food Festival on Saturday 22 May.
The Festival has attracted its fair share of celebrities over the years and Pongia will be one of several high profile
kiwis at this years event.
The star of TV One's Good Morning Show will attend with his wife Michelle and is really looking forward to experiencing
the Festival for the first time. "I love Bluff Oysters!" "Even international chefs that I have met say there is no
comparison and that they are the best oysters in the world."
As well as anticipating his share of Bluff Oysters Brendon is also looking forward to coming to Bluff and enjoying the
Festival experience. "I like Bluff and I think the Festival will be amazing. I'm looking forward to being a part of it."
Last year when I was in the south playing basketball for the Southland Flyers my wife Michelle and I visited Bluff and
we both love it. We both thoroughly enjoyed the friendliness of the people. My wife was amazed how friendly people
were."
Pongia is bound to be a popular in the south. His stint with the Southland Flyers last season helped basketball in the
south reach the first division and the result of that is now evident in the very successful inaugural season the
Southland Sharks are enjoying at the top level. Basketball is just one of Pongia's talents, the former Tall Black
captain becoming established in television presenting a number of basketball and sport shows. Pongia was also a
contestant in Dancing With The Stars in 2007 partnering Hayley Holt in a successful run through to the penultimate
show."
Pongia will travel to the Festival courtesy of Air New Zealand. Prior to his visit he and fellow Good Morning Show
personality Astar will serve up some Bluff Oyster dishes on the show. '
The Festival takes place at the Stewart Island Experience site on Foreshore Road adjacent to the Old Town Wharf in Bluff
from 11am on Saturday 22 May.
Tickets are on sale at a cost of $16 each while tickets for children 12 & under will sell at $5 each. The Festival venue is limited to 5000 people on the day so Festival organisers are urging
people to pre-book to ensure they gain admission on the day.
Tickets are available from the Invercargill City Council Booking Office in Esk Street, Invercargill, the Bluff Service
Centre, Gore Street, Bluff and www.ticketdirect.co.nz Bookings can also be made by phone at 03 211 1692 or 0800 484 2538
or online at service@icc.govt.nz in addition to www.ticketdirect.co.nz
The Festival will feature a mouthwatering array of food and beverage with the Bluff Oyster the star of the show. Other
activities include the Oyster Eating and Opening Races along with a varied programme of musical entertainment.
EFTPOS facilities will be available at the venue as well as at the Bluff Service Centre, 100 metres from the site on
Gore Street. Car parking is also available on Foreshore Road within easy walking distance of the Festival site. Bus
services will operate from Invercargill on the at a cost of $12 return at 10am, 11am and 12 noon before returning at
3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm.
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