So, your Instagram account is mostly pictures of food and you feel fine about it. When someone asks you for a brunch idea, you send back at least five different options. You plan your holidays around restaurants you want to visit and squeeze in popular attractions around meal times. Congratulations, you’re a foodie and proud of it!
You’re no doubt planning to attend a few foodie festivals around the country this year. With so many to choose from, we bring you the gourmet guide to Australia’s best food & wine festivals in 2015:
Queensland
Queensland has a range of events to enjoy the sunshine with a wine in hand. A firm favourite on the event calendar, Noosa International Food & Wine Festival returns (14-17 May) for a long weekend of fine wine, degustation dinners with international chefs and a host of offsite events. Head to the cool climate Granite Belt for the Grazing Festival (24-25 May) and enjoy award winning wines, gourmet local produce and entertainment. Further north, Port Douglas Carnivale (22-31 May) provides two weeks of events, many suitable for families and the ever-popular longest lunch and Macrossan Street Parade.
New South Wales
Hunter Valley and Orange wine growing regions are passionate about their food & wine and are keen to share the celebrations with the rest of Australia. Food and wine trail event, Lovedale Long Lunch (16-17 May) is a progressive lunch featuring several wineries linked with a local restaurant to provide food, wine & live entertainment. Linger longer and enjoy Wine & Food Month in June, with a host of events at wineries and local restaurants. Orange, which has a vibrant food & wine culture has a number of events throughout the year including the ever popular F.O.O.D Week (10-19 April).
Victoria
Melbourne is the event capital of Australia with year-round calendar brimming with food and wine activity in Victoria. Start with the Yarra Valley Grape Grazing (Feb) and then move into the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (27 Feb-15 Mar) with leading chefs and winemakers from around the globe descending on Melbourne for a feast of the senses.
Another great regional event is the Mornington Peninsula Winter Wine Weekend (6-8 June) and there’s a gourmet event just about every other month too! Don’t miss the Mornington Peninsula International Pinot Noir Celebration (6-7 Feb) because who doesn’t want to celebrate the beauty of Pinot Noir! Seafood lovers take note, the Apollo Bay Seafood Festival (21 Feb) is back, bring a picnic rug and head down for all the fun. Don’t miss the Daylesford Macedon Produce Harvest Festival (25 Apr-3 May) and indulge in ten days of food-filled celebrations.
South Australia
Over the weekend, the Adelaide Hills hosted the Crush Festival, which lured thousands of people back to the region following the devastating fires recently. SA Tourism Commission are advocating a long lunch, day trip or overnight stay in the region to show your support and share your experience on social media #headforthehills
There are plenty of great events to whet your appetite across South Australia including Barossa Vintage Festival (15-19 April), Clare Gourmet Weekend (15-17 May), McLaren Vale Sea & Vine Festival (June), Adelaide Food & Wine Festival (Apr), Barossa Gourmet Weekend (14-16 August) show it’s clear South Australia is a state awash with gourmet extravaganzas. Tasting Australia also returns as an annual event in 2016.
Western Australia
The hugely popular, Gourmet Escape (20-22 November) is proving it has the chops to pull a rather large foodie crowd to Margaret River. Pulling culinary stars such as Heston Blumenthal has helped to cement this event into the calendar as a must see event. Accommodation books out early, so book well in advance for Gourmet Escape.
Tasmania
The Tasmanian food and wine year kicks off with the Festivale in Launceston (13-15 February) with an alfresco food, wine and entertainment experience in Launceston’s City Park. A Taste of the Huon (8/9 March) now in its 23rd year, celebrates the fine food, wine and local produce of the Huon Valley and Channel region – held at Ranelagh, just 30 minutes south of Hobart. There are many more regional events throughout the year, ending with ‘The Taste of Tasmania’ (Dec/Jan) showcasing the very best cool-climate wines and local produce and coinciding with the finish of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on the Hobart waterfront.
Australian Capital Territory
Winter marks the start of truffle season and Canberra is one of the countries key truffle growing regions. As such the Canberra Truffle Festival (late June-early August) celebrates with truffle hunts, master classes and truffle inspired menus.
So with all these festivals, gather your foodie friends and plan your weekend getaway. Browse our collection of boutique hotels and holiday houses to cater to group getaways or contact us at info@alluxia.com
Image credit: NIFW, Visit Victoria, Barossa Gourmet, Gourmet Escape, Restaurant AustraliaYou Might Also Like: Georges Culinary Retreat Review
