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PORT Elizabeth foodies have a weekend to feast on with two gourmet events taking place in the city, one at Walmer Park Shopping Centre and the other at Grey High School.

The first event to tickle your tastebuds is a food and wine tasting event at Grey High School from 5pm on Friday, November 27, and continuing from 10am until late on Saturday, November 28.

Organised by Port Elizabeth based Wine Route Cellars, the event will have cheese, olives, deli products and various breads on sale and available for tasting.

About 35 estates will be showcasing their offerings, including a number of boutique estates.

“Some of the interesting names include Glen Carlou, Neil Ellis, Diemersfontein, Joubert Tradauw and 7 Oaks,” said organiser Christopher Ayerst.

Port Elizabeth bassist Andrew Warneke will play jazz early on Friday followed by Centrestage’s Donovan Hattingh and Wayne Kallis, who also will perform the following evening.

The second event is a food fair where 50 food stalls will display and sell their produce in the underground parking area at Walmer Park Shopping Centre, in association with Algoa FM.

Exhibitors at the festival will include delicatessens, restaurants, entrepreneurs, farmers, manufacturers and suppliers to the food industry.

Charl Leslie of Algoa FM’s “Charl Cooks” fame will take part in a Ready Steady Cook competition, where master and novice “chefs” will compete in three rounds in an adaptation of the popular BBC television show.

Bartenders Workshop will host a cocktail and flair bartending competition where 10 professional bartenders will battle it out behind the bar to see who makes the best cocktail.

Entrance to the Walmer festival is free. Both food fairs will have activities for “grumpy husbands” and children.

Tickets are on sale at Computicket for the Grey event, at R60 for adults, and this includes a wine glass for tasting.