Feijoa event sells out in days

It's feijoa season and they're as popular as ever. PHOTO/FILE

Rotorua's Agrodome is celebrating 'all things feijoa' at this month's inaugural Feijoa Open Day and the event has sold out in just five days.

The May 16 Open Day is a fundraiser for the Ngongotaha Volunteer Fire Brigade and National Kiwi Trust and all 100 tickets were quickly snapped up.

"Both the National Kiwi Trust and volunteer fire brigade are absolutely delighted. While we won't know exactly how much money has been raised until after the event, it's a fantastic response from the local community.

"So much so that we're hoping to make it an annual event and may also hold a similar kiwifruit event as the Agrodome also has a large kiwifruit orchard on site," said Event organiser, Agrodome MICE Market Sales Manager Diane Curtis.

At the open day visitors will be able to hop on a tractor for a ride through the farm, gather feijoas to take home, watch the afternoon Agrodome Farm Show, check out the fire engine and enjoy a free sausage.

"The Agrodome orchard is bursting with ripe feijoas at this time of the year so it's a great opportunity to share the fruit with the local community and at the same time support two local charities," Ms Curtis said.

"Our hot, dry summer has been perfect growing conditions for feijoa and I'm sure everyone will find plenty of recipes to put them to good use."

Well known as a fragrant autumn fruit, feijoas were introduced into New Zealand in the 1920s. The fruit is abundant from late March through to June and also known in some countries as a 'pineapple guava'.