A trio of television chefs will share the spotlight at Sovereign Hill's Heritage Harvest Weekend in May.
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The foodie weekend, held as part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival, has enjoyed steady growth over its first two years and is expected to attract more than 5000 food lovers during what was traditionally a quiet period for the park.
Julie Goodwin, who won the inaugural series of MasterChef, The Great Australian Bake Off's Darren Purchese and Ballarat's own Tim Bone who appeared on MasterChef and will star in Good Chef Bad Chef , will present cooking demonstrations and celebrate autumn flavours as part of the two day event.
For the first time in the festival's three-year history, Sovereign Hill will open up cooking demonstrations with the much-loved chefs and other cooking, craft and historical experts at no additional cost.
Mr Purchese said he first visited Sovereign Hill when he arrived in Australia many years ago.
"It continues to be a rite of passage for people across Australia. I can't wait to connect with visitors while sharing some handy tips and insights into creating delicious, sweet treats this autumn," he said.
"And I am keen to learn the secrets to Sovereign Hill's famous Raspberry Drops while I'm in town."
More than 3000 people enjoyed the first Heritage Harvest Festival in 2022, more than 4000 came through the gates for the festival in 2023 and more than 5000 were expected this year - where previously the last weekend in May would have attracted around 1000 visitors.
"In our third year, we're dialling things up to create money-can't-buy experiences for everyone that walks through our gates - whether they're foodies, families or friends visiting for a nostalgic day out", said Sovereign Hill chief executive Sara Quon.
"Heritage Harvest Weekend is inspired by the many people and nationalities that came to the goldfields and brought their traditions and cultures with them. It's the perfect way to pay tribute to our rich culinary history while enjoying some of the best regional produce today."
More than 30 producers and artisans will be part of a food-lovers village market, and the weekend will also feature live demonstrations of traditional crafts and cooking along Main Street, special kids activities, and cooking and craft hosted by the Country Women's Association.
Ms Goodwin said she was looking forward to sharing her passion for delicious, seasonal dishes with visitors to the Heritage Harvest Weekend.
"Our food traditions are such an important part of who we are and where we come from. Cooking at home using fresh local produce and sharing it with the ones you love is not only lovely, it's key to our health and well-being."
Sovereign Hill's Heritage Harvest Weekend is on May 25 and 26. The Ballarat Heritage Festival runs from May 17 to 26.
