MARGARET River Gourmet Escape festival organisers have responded to public complaints about the weekend's Gourmet Village event.
Numerous ticket holders reported issues at the festival hub on Saturday and Sunday, including long waits in the queues for entry and meals, food running out and a lack of recycling options on offer.
Brand Events Australia media spokeswoman Marianne O'Donoghue said larger crowds had been anticipated at the Gourmet Village because of the event's growth in the past two years and therefore the size of the event and the number of exhibitors and restaurants had been increased.
However, last-minute ticket sales and "two massive days of visitation" created logistical issues.
"We experienced a surge in last-minute ticket sales requiring venue collection in the week leading up to the festival, resulting in longer queues at the box office than previous years," Ms O'Donoghue said.
She apologised to people who had to wait.
On the food side some of the popular restaurants had long queues with some running out in the second half of the day.
"There were, however a wonderful array of local producers offering delicious food and wine and we hope that our visitors were able to sample some of their wares," she said.
One of the 16 restaurant stallholders said they nearly sold more dishes in one day than they had sold the whole Gourmet Village weekend last year.
Ms O'Donoghue said waste recycling was prevalent behind the scenes.
"We are continually looking at improving and growing the event not only from a visitor perspective but operationally also," she said.
"We use biodegradable and compostable cutlery, plates and napkins within the village."
Brand Events would use the lessons from the weekend and welcome further feedback to help create a positive experience for all involved in the Gourmet Escape's future, she said.
"On the whole, feedback has been positive with the opportunity to eat dishes from and interact with local, national and international celebrity chefs; to be introduced to new local produce, food and beverages; and to participate in an array of interactive workshops and classes, all within beautiful surroundings.
"Our visiting chefs and talent will all go home with many positive and engaging stories of their experiences here. We're already planning 2015."
While final figures for Gourmet Village attendances were not in yet, Ms O'Donoghue was certain more than 20,000 people attended the various events in this year's Gourmet Escape excluding fringe events.
What was your Gourmet Escape experience like? Email zannia.yakas@fairfaxmedia. com.au.