THOUSANDS of food and wine lovers descended on Halls Gap to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Grampians Grape Escape, one of regional Australia’s longest running food and wine festivals.
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Victorian Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford officially opened the festival on Saturday morning before exploring exhibits and meeting attendees and producers.
“The Grampians Grape Escape is one of Victoria’s oldest and best known food and wine festivals. These events are a big boost to the local economy and keep small businesses strong,” Minister Pulford said.
The weekend attracted a crowd of 7000 patrons who experienced the offerings of more than 100 of western Victoria’s finest food and wine producers.
“It’s been an enormous 25th birthday celebration for the Grampians Grape Escape. We couldn’t be happier with the weekend. It was wonderful to see big smiles on the faces of locals and visitors enjoying themselves,” festival director David Wheaton said.
“The community spirit and involvement from exhibitors, volunteers and everyone else who worked tirelessly to bring the event to life has been phenomenal and I thank everyone for their hard work in making the event a success.”
The festival recognised Grampians Estate winemaker Tom Guthrie for his long history with the Grampians Grape Escape by awarding him with the first lifetime membership.
Kate Ceberano provided the ultimate final act for the mass of dancing fans on Sunday, belting out favourite tunes following on from performances by Monique Brumby and her band The Ryders, Mutti Mutti man, Kutcha Edwards and The Settlement over the weekend.
Headline chef, Miguel Maestre wooed the crowds over both days, sharing his culinary secrets through lively cooking demonstrations.
