Massive Turnout: Almost 8000 attend Grampians Grape Escape Festival

A bumper crowd of almost 8000 people meandered across the Halls Gap Recreation Reserve across the three days, sampling more than 100 exhibitors.

Co-festival director Vanessa Briody said the stunning autumn weather set the perfect scene for a weekend of sampling, sipping, and swaying to the sounds of live music.

"We could not be happier," she said.

"Given the current economic climate, we were worried about how much money people would have left to spend at the exhibitor stalls.

"So far our surveys are showing excellent satisfaction from the exhibitors from the food trucks, the wineries, the producers."

"I think people just happy to support small businesses; one of our main objective is to to help support small business and to shine a spotlight on the Grampians wine region."

Ms Briody praised much-loved personality Tim Bone, who took to the stage on Saturday, presenting his Green Curry Chicken and Prawn Parma to a packed house.

Mr Bone's gourmet toasties were busy when the gates opened on Saturday morning.

"I shared half of my toastie with Matt Evans on Sunday and afterwards I thought 'Why did I do that?'," Ms Briody lamented.

On Sunday, culinary legend Karen Martini and former SBS Gourmet Farmer TV host Matthew Evans shared their top tips and foodie secrets with culinary enthusiasts.

Also on Sunday, TikTok sensations Chefs and Dogs took their expertise to the stage, demonstrating the diverse ways you can feed your four-legged friends with a focus on raw food and how it optimises dogs' health.

The highly anticipated Grampians Winemakers Barrique Auction was another huge success, raising over $32,000, the auction's second-highest result.

This festival feature showcases the region's exceptional winemaking talents and demonstrates the association's unwavering commitment to attracting tourists to the wine region.

This year, the focus was on Pomonal, a town devastated by the summer bushfires.

A portion of the profits from the Barrique Action will go towards staging a hero event at Pomonal Estate during the Grampians Fine Wine Festival in October.

Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman praised the Grampians Grape Escape board for showcasing the region.

"The energy that Grampians Grape Escape brings to the region is always unmatched, and we couldn't be prouder of all the incredible winemakers, producers, artists and operators that made it all possible," he said.

"We'd like to thank the Victorian Government's Regional Events Fund for their continued support of Grampians Grape Escape and the local tourism and events industry."

The date is already set for the 2025 festival, with May 2-4 locked in for the 32nd edition.