The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is back for their Regional Edition. Treat yourself to a little getaway and embark on a culinary adventure in Ballarat, Gippsland and the Yarra Valley. Find a series of one-off events, discover local produce by the sea at The Village Feast and take part in one of the World’s Longest Lunches. The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival will run from Friday November 10 to Sunday November 19.
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
This festival highlights all of the magnificent food and wine experiences that make Victoria special. Head to Inverloch in Gippsland for The Village Feast, then stick around for the Gippsland Seaside Weekender and discover the best produce in the region, with special events around wine, cheese and more.
The Village Feast
At The Village Feast, you’ll discover incredible dishes from celebrated chefs across ten food stalls, as well as drinks from seven festival bars and live entertainment. Look forward to treats from Adam Liaw, chef Thi Le from Anchovy, Paul Carmichael of Momofuku Seiobo fame and more. Expect collaborations between culinary personalities and Gippsland venues, like Sodafish, Sardine Dining and The Invy Baker. Treat yourself to Gippsland Jersey ice cream sundaes, cheese from Udder and Hoe and cacao goods from Cuvée Chocolate. Sofia Leven will be in the Chef Shack, hosting chats with the culinary experts.
Grab a drink from one of the seven festival bars, and enjoy free tastings from 14 winemakers at the Wine Gippsland Cellar. Find chats in the Wine Shack, and buy drinks to take home.
Browse through the Village Market for local produce, plants, gifts and artisanal goods. The kids will also have fun in a dedicated Kids’ Zone, with cupcake decorating, face painting and more. Bands, DJs, sea shanty singalongs will soundtrack the event.
The Village Feast will run from 12pm to 8pm on Saturday November 18. Tickets are $35 for adults, and entry is free for children aged 12 and under.
Regional World’s Longest Lunch
The World’s Longest Lunch is typically the flagship event of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. This time, they’re taking things up a notch by hosting two lunches simultaneously in two new locations. Over 150 people will dine together at Hubert Estate in the Yarra Valley and The Goods Shed in Ballarat.
In Ballarat, the menu by chef Konstantin Putkin will showcase the best seasonal produce around town. Look forward to inventive dishes from 1816 Bakehouse, Saltbush Kitchen, Inglenook Dairy and more. Sip your way through the feast with cocktails from Itinerant Spirits, as well as a curated list of local beers and wines. MasterChef alumni Tim Bone will host the event.
Meanwhile, lunch in the Yarra Valley will take you on a journey throughout the historic Hubert Estate. Explore the art gallery while grazing on canapes, then sit down for three more courses in a menu designed by executive chef Michael Smith. Each course will be paired with St Hubert’s wines.
The World’s Longest Lunch will take place on Saturday November 11.
Other events
After enjoying the World’s Longest Lunch, check out one-off events in both Ballarat and the Yarra Valley. Venture down a mine shaft for a three course feast, enjoy a sunset feast at Lake Wendouree, go cherry picking and try cherry beer at CherryHill Orchards and much more.
Pre-sale tickets are available now for MWFW subscribers. Tickets for the general public go on sale at 10am on Thursday September 7. Explore the full program here.