Footscray’s Rickshaw Run, part of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, has been named one of the highlights of the festival. Thuy Kim, left, and Hanni Nguyen show why. 75929 Picture: Damjan Janevski
By Charlene Gatt
IT’S the five-course meal that’s putting Footscray on the map.
The Footscray Traders Rickshaw Run, which was held for the first time last year as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, has been named one of the highlights of the festival over the past two decades.
Footscray Traders Association president Grant Miles describes the Rickshaw Run as a fast-paced adventure on an authentic, rickshaw, taking in the best Vietnamese food Footscray has to offer.
This year, the experience starts with live oysters shucked in front of you, then ticket-holders are taken around Footscray in their own personal rickshaw for a five-course frenzy that includes learning how to make your own rice paper roll and a crazy fruit and vegetable shopping experience, Asian style.
On weekends, there will also be traditional Asian entertainment.
This year the Rickshaw Run will go from 2 to 18 March.
Mr Miles said being named a highlight after only one year was a big accolade.
“It’s a very popular and huge event, and the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (organisers) have booked out a night of the Rickshaw Run for themselves, I think they want to get a better feel for what it’s like,” he said.
“We’ve already sold about 220 tickets for this year out of about 420. Most of the nights are already sold out, it’s really only the lunchtime sessions that are available now.”
The Rickshaw Run is in need of more volunteers, with all volunteers getting a free meal with every session that they do. For more information, call Grant on 0418 326 618.
