PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council has recognised the important role played by Good Company Group in the organisation and growth of Tastings on Hastings.
Mayor Peter Besseling said Good Company Group, specifically Sonia Fingleton, had been an integral part of the festival for eight of the 11 years it has been operating.
“Under Sonia’s guidance and in collaboration with council the event has become a much-loved fixture on the local event calendar and has grown to be a signature food and wine event for the region,” Cr Besseling said.
Sonia’s husband Grey Fingleton has also stepped up to the plate in recent years to assist with event logistics in the CBD and Town Green. His assistance has proved invaluable in the festival’s transition from the Port Macquarie racecourse to the CBD.
The Fingletons have now decided to focus on new opportunities to grow their business, and look forward to attending Tastings on Hastings in a private capacity.
“If you had told me after the first event at Cassegrain Winery that we would be hosting more than 15,000 people in the CBD and along Town Green in 2013 I simply wouldn’t have believed you,” Sonia said.
Cr Besseling described Sonia as a “passionate foodie” and said her enthusiasm and knowledge would be sadly missed.
At its ordinary meeting in February, the council affirmed its on-going support of Tastings on Hastings and voted to continue the event in October 2014.
