As the 2025 winter came to its end, The Pavilion came alive for the inaugural Crafted Kiama and welcomed hundreds of locals and visitors for a night of flavour, live music, and community spirit.

The Pavilion’s cosy indoor setting was the perfect escape as guests wandered from stall to stall chatting with exhibitors from the Illawarra, which included winemakers, distillers, and food artisans.

“Crafted is about more than just tasting it’s about meeting the makers, hearing their stories, and sharing the experience with friends,” The Pavilion events and conference marketing coordinator Jackie Hall said.

She said The Pavilion was “thrilled to have brought so many of the regions most exciting producers together under one roof during these cold months”.

South Coast Distillery’s Nik Kelly was one of over a dozen exhibitors and was excited with what the event provided.

“It was a good night,” Kelly said.

“It [the event] was run very well and we are happy to be there again next year.”

Kelly said these events provide another way of getting out into the community to promote brands and connect with consumers.

Kiama local Andrew Prosser shared that the staff from The Pavilion created a great space for exhibitors and attendees.

“It was clear how much effort went into making this a truly memorable experience,” he said.

“The quality and atmosphere were exceptional, setting a high standard for what’s to come.”

Other beverage exhibitors included The Wine Hub Wollongong and Artemis Wines which idled up to South Coast Distillery, Tara Distillery, and Wolf and Woman Distillery.

Foodies indulged in salivating dishes from Ola Chola’s Latin food truck and Steve’s Mobile Woodfire Pizza and munched on delicious morsels from Artisan Delish Salami, Jamberoo Jerky & Biltong Co, South Coast Blends.

These were balanced out with the locally made olive oils and preserves from Morella Grove and the Celtic flavours of Kieltys Irish Sauces.

For those with a sweet tooth, Kiama Chocolate Company provided the sugar rush.

Live music was provided by Blessie, which contributed to the buzzing ambience gathering to support the local talent of the Kiama region.

For organisers, the success of the night means that Crafted will be a recurring fixture in the Kiama social calendar “with plans already underway, [we] can look forward to doing it all again in 2026”.