Maleny Showgrounds is set to be packed this weekend with thousands expected to attend and enjoy the best local foods the Sunshine Coast has to offer at the Real Food Festival.

The Buderim Foundation will be holding their seventh annual Good News Night on the 19^th September to announce successful applicants for the 2014 community grants.

Every year the program gives grants to community organisations that assist the Buderim community. This year the Foundation will distribute a record amount of just under $50,000 ($49,543) to a variety of community organisations, more than it gave in its first three years of grant giving.

Queensland Environment Minister, Andrew Powell will go head-to-head with Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson in the ultimate decider at the Real Food Festival cook-off on Saturday, 13^th September.

‘The Mayor & The Minister’ cook-off will start at 11.30am in the Kunara Real Food Kitchen and will be facilitated by Free Ranging Chef, Peter Wolfe. Minister Powell secured the win last year while in 2012 Mayor Mark Jamieson took out the title.

Festival Director, Julie Shelton said the cook-off would see the culinary skills of both men put to the test.

The Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival is excited to announce that Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis will be joining in the fun at the festival on the 13^th and 14^th of September in Maleny.

Costa, a gardening enthusiast who is passionate about sourcing local ingredients to use in cooking, will be sharing the limelight with students from Montville and Conondale State Schools who are involved in Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden program.

Local businesses are being urged to get involved with Bloomhill Cancer Help’s 12^th annual Race Day to be held on Sunday, 21^st September at Corbould Park.

The annual major fundraising event for Bloomhill Cancer Help is set to be filled with fun, fashion, auctions, raffles, prizes and the excitement of watching the horse races live, is in need of sponsorship.

SUNREEF Mooloolaba are excited to be sharing their love of humpback whales by giving visitors the opportunity to swim with these magnificent creatures.

But Sunreef’s Swim with Whales encounters – an Australian 1^st – are not just about giving people the opportunity to see the giants of the sea from a new perspective.

Quality Lifestyle Alliance (QLA) will celebrate Disability Action Week with Super Spring Saturday on Saturday 20^th September.

Super Spring Saturday is set to be a carnival style event that will deliver an action packed day full of fun and activities for the whole family.

The 2014 Real Food Festival organisers will start the month countdown to the big event over an exclusive long table lunch for Festival stakeholders at Spicers Clovelly Estate.