As the weather cools down, the cosy surrounds of the Grampians are calling.
What better time to venture into the grand and rugged mountain ranges than when Grampians Grape Escape festival is on.
Taking place from Friday 3 May until Sunday 5 May 2024 in the picturesque Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, this three-day festival is a feast for the senses and a showcase of the best the region has to offer. This wine, food and music festival is the holy trinity of good times.
Here are five reasons you should pack the car and head to Grampians Grape Escape, Halls Gap:
Grampian Grape Escape
- When: Friday 3 May – Sunday 5 May
- Where: Halls Gap Recreation Reserve, Grampians Road, Halls Gap
- Tickets: Range from $0 for kids to $225 + BF for a 3-day ‘Feel Good’ pass. Buy here
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Homegrown Drops
Can’t go past a good drop – thankfully the Grampians, Pyrenees and Henty region house some of the finest winemakers in Australia. Over 30 wineries have signed up to showcase at the Grampians Grape Escape festival, bringing their greatest wines to the forefront.
You have Mountainside Wines, Clarnette Wines, Miners Ridge Vineyard, DogRock Winery – the list goes on. This festival is a great chance to meet the makers, sample wines with a tasting ticket, join a masterclass, or simply stock up on the cellar for the bitter winter weather.
Along with wine, beer, cider and spirit distilleries will also be on-site to quench the thirst.
Food Glorious Food
They say never drink on an empty stomach – you won’t have to worry about that with the culinary delights available at Grampians Grape Escape. Food trucks will be plotted around the site, ready to serve up a storm for the stomach.
Bao buns, dumplings, burgers, the beloved food truck favourite of hot chips – does it get any better? Yes, it does! Local produce representatives will be on-site with homemade chilli and chutney and there will be masterclasses and cooking demonstrations by guest chefs Tim Bone, Nornie Bero, Karen Martini, Check and Dogs, and Matthew Evans.
Belting Tunes
Get on your dancing shoes – the Grampians Grape Festival has got the goods on the music front with a stacked lineup of seventeen talented artists. Kicking it all off with Feel-Good Friday you can settle into the weekend with Soulty from 4pm and homegrown acts The Settlement and Orange Whip sending off the first day.
Across Saturday and Sunday six acts will be on the stage each day. Flying in from Perth is The Little Lord Street Band, bringing with them their new album Time and Place. Afro-fusion Melbourne band One Spirit Africa will blow your socks off with their powerful Afro-beats.
Geelong legends Bone and Jones will jump up on the stage and two huge headliners, Smoke Stack Rhino and The Narratives will close out Saturday. Sunday sees another Geelongian grace the stage – Daniel Aarons will sooth the crowd with his stunning songwriting, Tek Tek will bring a bold performance and Bel Kil will tease her upcoming EP.
Mega music moments will come from 19-Twenty and Madhouse. In the emcee chair is the legendary Julia Zass who is sure to pump up the crowd for an epic experience.
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Fun for the whole Family
Let’s not lull you into a false sense that the festival is all about the adults. Grampians Grape Escape is one of the most family friendly festivals on offer with a dedicated precinct for the kids to explore.
The David O Jones Mitre 10 Little Adventurer’s Precinct includes a giant cubby house activity with a garden and shed that kids will help construct and deck out. The precinct also boasts a herb and flower planting station, rock climbing, badminton and table tennis, as well as a Parent Pod for convenience.
Outside of the designated precinct there are stop-and-play stations strategically set up around the wineries so parents can taste while the kids are kept entertained. And that’s on top of all of the dancing and singing they will be doing at the Itinerant Spirits Music Stage.
Stunning Locations
It would be remiss to not include the glorious Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park location as a selling point. The stunning setting of Halls Gap on its own is a tourist attraction.
If weather allows, spend a day climbing The Pinnacle, check out Boroka Lookout or explore MacKenzie Falls. A stop into Halls Gap Zoo is a must-see on the Grampians adventure. There is so much to explore in the region – Grampian Grape Escape is just the excuse to get you there.
With that much packed into one festival, you’re bound to get your money’s worth. Tickets are still available to Grampians Grape Escape. You can purchase them here.
