Gippsland is your quintessential food bowl –
famous for fresh seafood, award-winning cheese, grass fed lamb and beef – so it stands to reason that Gippsland food and drink events pique the interest
of foodies from far and wide.
The South Gippsland Garlic Festival (formerly the Meeniyan Garlic Festival) will be held on Saturday, March 8, is Victoria’s biggest celebration of Australian garlic – this popular regional foodie event returns this year after a brief hiatus to a new home in the vibrant South Gippsland town of Korumburra.
This year’s Festival will host 80 market stallholders, a Festival Bar and Festival Kitchen packed with fresh local produce and cooking demonstrations from some of the region’s best chefs, plus live
entertainment and kids activities.
The Thorpdale Potato Festival, on Sunday, March 9, is a celebration of the humble spud and a good old-fashioned fun day out with activities that you just can’t find elsewhere – shouldering 50-kilogram bags for the spud run, throwing sacks of spuds onto pallets, potato picking is on for young and old, guys and gals. And of course ‘Hessians on the Field’ fashion show will be back again.
Hooked on Lakes to be held in Lakes Entrance on Sunday, March 9, is perfect for lovers of fresh seafood, fishing and live music – with a headline act from The Pierce Brothers.
This year there is a new addition with a seafood extravaganza the evening before on Saturday, March 8, showcasing the best local seafood with delicious roaming cold seafood platters and food stations manned by local chefs cooking hot seafood.
One of Gippsland’s most anticipated events, the Tinamba Food and Wine Festival will be held on Sunday, April 6. This much-loved street party celebrates the best of the region from artisan producers and award-winning restaurants and vendors.
A family-friendly festival with live music, premium wines and delicious local food, including the iconic Tinamba Hotel.
Looking further ahead, the Loch Food and Wine Festival will be held on Sunday, June 8, where you can meet the makers behind Gippsland’s renowned wineries, breweries, delicious produce and eateries, enjoying beer and wine tastings, local restaurant pop-ups, international food trucks and live music.
Further down the road the month-long extravaganza of the East Gippsland Winter Festival will see more than 100 events take place right across East Gippsland from Friday, June 20 – Sunday, July 20.