Gourmet Night Markets are back December 4

Gourmet Night Markets Christmas event December 19, 2014. Photo/Andrew Warner

The third Gourmet Night Market season kicks off Friday December 4 in Mt Maunganui from 5pm.

The family-friendly summer event was extremely popular last season with locals and visitors attracting around 5000 hungry patrons on Friday nights.

Event manager Kim Renshaw, who also coordinates Beyond the Bin (a social enterprise specialising in waste education), said the markets would be running every Friday except for Christmas day and January 8, and she is anticipating crowds of 4000 to 6000 people at each event.

"Situated in Coronation Park, the market has a stunning view of the Mount where diners can laze and graze all while being entertained by fresh local acoustic musicians," she said.

Local musician Izzy Bones and group The Salty Dogs, who have just released their first EP, would be performing at the first Gourmet Night Market on December 4, she said.

"As well as providing a stage for local musicians, Gourmet Night Market is also hosting a number of top local restaurant chefs from the area.

"The restauranteurs will be joined by specialist mobile food vendors, caterers and home cooks in the 50 plus stalls offering desserts, tapas, dinner options, handmade drinks and speciality artisan food products."

Ms Renshaw said as well as being extremely tasty, the event would also be leading the zero waste movement, diverting 97.5 per cent of their waste from landfill during last summer.

The Gourmet Night Market has a sustainability crew of 40 locals who use the opportunity to give back to their community and contribute to environmental awareness, she said.