Bumper crowd for banquet
Those lucky enough to have a highly sought after ticket to the Bucket List Banquet should prepare to be ‘‘surprised and delighted’’.
The collaboration between Hospice Waikato and Montana Food and Events will see about 1100 people treated to a three-course meal and entertainment at Claudelands Event Centre tomorrow night.
With last year’s event cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year has seen the largest crowd yet support the charity event, Hospice CEO Craig Tamblyn said.
‘‘We sold out in February. Because it was cancelled last year, there have been people lining up to get their ticket. The people last year said, don’t give my money back, just guarantee me a table for next year.’’
The theme of the event is a closely kept secret every year, and this year’s no different, with Tamblyn expecting the crowd to be wowed including some iconic Kiwi entertainers. The dinner brings in around $350,000 for Hospice Waikato, with auctions also being held during the night.
‘‘The funding we get from it keeps us in the black. But it’s not just about the funding, it’s an opportunity to promote our services, an opportunity for people to think about loved ones, about what hospice services have done for them.’’
Montana Food and Events Group brand and communications manager Whitney Joblin said that it’s an opportunity to continue to support a key part of its community programme. The company donates all the labour, food and drinks on the night. And while not only supporting the community, it allows Montana chefs to put their best selves on a plate.
‘‘It’s one of those rare opportunities that three of our kitchens get to work together, all of our logistics, all of our front of house team, all of our office all work together. It doesn’t happen very often,’’ Joblin said.