A pasta and wine event at Dubbo sold out in less than 15 hours, the organiser of the new concept reports.
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The Establishment owner Tenelle Bond said she was "so surprised" when tickets to Thursday's A Casa Mia - Introducing a little Italy to Dubbo were all snapped up.
"It was unbelievable, but extremely exciting," she said.
It's buoyed the small business owner and comes after the industry had to cease normal operations for more than two months amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Mrs Bond said before COVID-19 they had been running monthly events that matched the vibe of the bar.
"So when we opened back up and had an event, it proved people were keen to have something to do after being in lockdown," she said.
"So I was back into setting up events, but taking it one month at a time."
Mrs Bond saw an opportunity in COVID shutting borders and people seeking something to do within NSW.
She said the business used produce from the Orange and Mudgee regions, and had been thinking about how to encourage people visiting the Blue Mountains and the wine regions to take an extra 90 minutes to visit Dubbo.
The entrepreneur says she is hoping visitors might be convinced that when taking a trip to Mudgee or Orange, they could cake it a three-day trip to stay one night in each of the towns.
Collaborating with new Mudgee business Once Upon A Thyme, they decided to host an Italian degustation, called A Casa Mia, meaning 'in my home'.
Also coming on board is Mudgee's Baker Williams Distillery and Millthorpe's Angullong Wines, and the event will be styled in a formal setting by Styled by Juliesque and photographed by Snaps by Madds of Dubbo.
"Combining all these talents and pushing us all outside their comfort zones is exciting and we hope that everyone has an amazing night and love what we have to offer - who knows, with restrictions at the moment this might be the beginning of going back to small intimate dinner parties and functions to celebrate special occasions," Mrs Bond said.
"Just because COVID has come around doesn't mean we have to miss out - it just means we have to think differently and it can be just as amazing - if not better."
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
