When it comes to food and wine, Western Australia packs a peachy punch with a feast-like offering of festivals. From the elaborate wine tastings of City Wine and UnWined Subiaco, to the luxurious foodie getaways of Gourmet Escape and Taste Great Southern, the food festival calendar is filled with amazing culinary experiences throughout the year. Take your pick!
Cabin Fever
When: 16 – 25 July 2021
For your annual dosage of wintry goodness, Cabin Fever has you covered. Taking place in various locations from Busselton to Margaret River and everywhere in between, Cabin Fever is the ultimate winter festival down south. Spanning 10 days, with over 40 individual events on offer, the festival offers great food and winter beverages, warm fires, and amazing tunes. Whether you are eating your way through cheese fondue, or dancing the night away to the live music, it’s a sure-fire way to be cured of your cabin fever.
Truffle Kerfuffle
When: 25 – 27 June 2021
With the cooler months comes truffle season. In celebration of everyone’s favourite fungus, Truffle Kerfuffle is a weekend-long festival that takes place every year in the heart of Australian truffle country, Manjimup. The festival offers the thrills of truffle hunting combined with exquisite dining events, cooking masterclasses and much more. The journey down south to experience this annual event is well worth it!
Good Food and Wine Show
When: 30 July – 1 August 2021
A staple industry showcase for WA foodies, every August the Good Food and Wine Show lands at the Perth Convention Centre with expert masterclasses, celebrity chefs, and hundreds of exhibitors from around the globe. The perfect opportunity to learn some new tricks in the kitchen or snag some nifty kitchenware, this national show has plenty to offer both novice cookers and self-proclaimed masterchefs.
Toodyay International Food Festival
When: 14 August 2021
Held on the banks of the Avon River, the Toodyay International Food Festival offers a great family day out full of mouth-watering food and free family entertainment. As it is held on the riverbank, it also allows for visitors to watch the thrills and spills of the Avon Decent. Your tastebuds will be tempted by the amazing range of international cuisine on offer, and there’s lots of boutique wines and beer to explore too!
Gascoyne Food Festival
When: 26 – 30 August 2021
Perth-siders with the winter blues should consider heading north for a culinary adventure in the warmer climes of the Gascoyne. Tapping into its reputation as one of WA’s produce hotspots, the Gascoyne Food Festival tells the paddock-to-plate story through a range of events in Exmouth, Dirk Hartog Island, Wooremel, and Red Bluff. It also hosts Australia’s Biggest BBQ at Mt Augustus!
UnWined Subiaco
When: 23- 24 October 2021
Opening the bottle on some of WA’s best wineries and breweries, UnWined celebrates unique and boutique wines. More than 70 regional producers will take Perth-siders on a journey of discovery on the lawns of Market Square Park in Subiaco. You can take your pick from over 300 wine samples, try a food and wine pairing, or hone your pretentious wine act at one their appreciation classes. Plus, don’t forget to try tapas from some of Subi’s best restaurants.
Western Australia Gourmet Escape
When: 17 – 21 November 2021
A late spring highlight, Gourmet Escape has it all – artisan produce, elite foodie events and world-class wine. Not to mention the chance to meet famous chefs, including the ‘godfather of modern cooking’ Marco Pierre White. Spanning the food and wine riches of the South West, the 10-day festival showcases 160 wineries and producers in a series of bespoke tastings, exquisite long tables, and rustic cookouts.
Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival
When: 12 November 2021
Celebrating the start of cherry season, the Cherry Harmony Festival attracts thousands of visitors each year to Manjimup to experience their delicious cherries. The festival showcases the local culture and flavours of the region, through a host of events including wine tastings, log-chopping tournaments and cherry tours. The highlight of the festival is the long table dinner, held in the middle of the cherry orchards.
Mandurah Crab Fest
When: 19 – 20 March 2022
Every year, more than 100,000 people flock to WA’s largest free regional event to celebrate these delicious crustaceans. Centred on the region’s affinity with the native blue manna crab, the Mandurah Crab Fest includes cooking demonstrations, a variety of fresh food, live music and children’s entertainment. More than just crabs, this festival lets you soak up a more relaxed atmosphere with Mandurah’s lifestyle, location and culture on full display. No pets please.
Taste Great Southern
When: Annually in March
Head to the pristine southern coastline to sample incredible local produce from the farming hinterland. This eleven-day festival features 30 culinary experiences including long lunches, degustations, premium pairings and community markets. Great Southern produce is renowned for quality with foods like oysters and seafood, cereal crops, beef and lamb attracting serious consumer punting. The region also boasts exceptional wines with Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Riesling varieties competing strongly on the world stage.
City Wine: Perth’s Winter Wine Festival
When: Annually in May
The perfect antidote to an approaching winter, City Wine is a cosy undercover retreat in the heart of Perth City. For two days, Yagan Square attracts the finest wines, beers, ciders and cocktails from across WA – as well as the creations of Perth’s best foodies. Providing an intimate space for group gatherings or solitary roaming, the square comes alive with DJ music and plenty of outdoor heaters.
Images: Gourmet Escape (Facebook), Wine & Food Events WA (Facebook), Mandurah Crabfest (Facebook), Taste Great Southern (Facebook), Gascoyne Food Festival (Facebook), Good Food and Wine Show (Facebook).
