Heathcote Wine & Food Festival 2008 - October 4-5

Location: Heathcote Showgrounds - Chauncey St, Heathcote.

Where else can you taste Heathcote wines from over 40 producers, as well as regional foods and produce? Only at Heathcote’s Wine & Food Festival!

Once a year, the artisan winemakers of Heathcote gather to show some of the most distinctive and iconic wines in the country. Add delectable regional foods, live music, activities for children and tutored wine tastings and this "Class in a Glass" festival is an event not to be missed.            

Fun & Entertainment  Join us and listen to the music, participate in a wine appreciation seminar, watch the chefs prepare local food product. There will be many wines with interesting and beautiful food - something for everyone!

Entry Fees   Entry is $20 a person and includes a tasting glass (non-drinkers $10). You can obtain an all-weekend pass for $35. And yes, you can visit the producers’ stalls and taste their wines for free. Parking is within the grounds, so the walk is short - ideal if you desire to take away bottles or cases for cellaring and later consumption. Enjoy a day of gourmet foods, live music, petanque and other events. Of course, the sheer bliss of tasting some of the most exciting wines in the world might be enough for some.
So please join us and find out why Heathcote is not just the shiraz capital, but the red wine capital of Australia!  Download a brochure containing the program for the Festival: Brochure (353Kb) 
                                                                                                          Conditions of Entry   No BYO alcohol to be brought within the grounds. No dogs are permitted.
Program   The event continues over both Saturday and Sunday October 4-5 (10:30am - 5pm). Live music will be playing throughout both days. Childrens' activities and entertainment will also be presented on both days. 
On Saturday you will be entertained by Ballyhooly - a mainly Irish Celtic band, a collective of fine musicians from Castlemaine. On Sunday the main band will be Inka Marka, a South American Indian band specialising in Andes music. A supporting act will be assisting on each day.
Schedule for Saturday:
10.30 AM Opening of Festival
11:00 AM Music – Ballyhooly (5-piece Celtic-flavoured vocal and multi-instrument band)
11.30 AM Cooking Demonstration
11.45 AM Childrens entertainment with Bendigo group Fusion
12.00 PM Wine Appreciation Seminar
12.30 PM Music – contemporary vocal & guitar duo Rebecca & Bianca Maes
 1.25 PM Childrens’ entertainment with Fusion
 1.30 PM Cooking Demonstration
 2.00 PM Music – Ballyhooly
 2.00 PM Wine Appreciation Seminar
 2.40 PM Childrens’ entertainment with Fusion
 3.10 PM Music – Rebecca & Bianca Maes
 3.30 PM Cooking Demonstration
 3.40 PM Childrens’ entertainment with Fusion
 4.00 PM Wine Appreciation Seminar
 4.10 PM Music – Ballyhooly
 5.00 PM Festival closes
Schedule for Sunday:
10.30 AM Opening of Festival
11:00 AM Music – Hardrive Bluegrass Band
11.30 PM Cooking Demonstration
11.45 AM Childrens’ entertainment with Bendigo group Fusion
12.00 PM Wine Appreciation Seminar
12.30 PM Music – guitars, mandolin and vocal duo Dave and Peter Moloney.
 1.25 PM Childrens’ entertainment with Fusion
 1.30 PM Cooking Demonstration
 2.00 PM Music – Hardrive
 2.00 PM Wine Appreciation Seminar
 2.40 PM Childrens’ entertainment with Fusion
 3.10 PM Music – Dave & Peter Moloney
 3.40 PM Childrens’ entertainment with Fusion
 3.30 PM Cooking Demonstration
 4.10 PM Music – Hardrive
 5.00 PM Festival closes

Note:   On both days the childrens’ entertainment provided by Fusion will include:
 Wind tunnel, stilt walking, races, balloon sculpting, plate twirling, tug of war, face painting and other similarly entertaining activities.
PROGRAMME SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Stallholders     There will be over 70 stallholders participating in this event - 42 wineries, 27 food and 2 novelty!

Wineries	Food stalls
Armstead Estate	Barista Bros - Let's Do Coffee
Ashley Vineyard	Coffee Daddy
Bansia Grove WIne	Axedale Olives
Barfold Estate	Barfold Olives
Barnadown Run	Cellar & Store
Burke & Wills Winery	Chapman Hill
Carlei Wines	Colliers Chocolates
Coliban Valley Wines	Couch Spudz
Condie Heathcote Estate	Goldfields Gourmet Preserves
Dead Horse Hill	Kelly's Homestead
Downing Estate	Kyneton Olive Oil
Eppalock Ridge	Locheilan Farmhouse Cheese
Flynn's Wines	Maldon Yabby Farm
Galli Estate Winery	Michel's Fine Biscuit Co Castlemaine
Kennedy Vintners	Olive Branch Preserves
Hanging Rock Winery	Pud for All Seasons
Heathcote Winery	Spice Bazaar
Henning's View Vineyard	Tt's Treats
Idavue Estate	Wildings
In The Know	Echuca's Ice Creamery
Lake Cooper Estate	Timboon Fine Icecream
Lindenton Wines	Bangerboy
Louis De Castella Wines	Rare Bite Catering
McIvor Estate	The Open Garden Cafe
Mia Valley Estate	Tooborac Hotel
Milvine Estate Wines	Turkish Gozleme
Mount Burrumboot Estate	Waffleworx
Mt Camel Winery & Vineyard
Mt Tooleen	Other
Munari Wines	Bendigo Hats
Red Edge	Mount Ida Lavender
Redesdale Estate
Sanguine Estate
She Oak Hill Vineyard
St Michael's Vineyard
Stefani Estate
Tayloroo Wines
The Bridge Vineyard
Tyrrels Wines
Wanted Man Vineyard
Dalhousie Fine Foods & McIvor Creek Wines
Shelmerdine

Travelling to Heathcote:

Bendigo Tourism :   Very helpful, friendly people. Bendigo spoils visitors with accommodation options.  A free and friendly accommodation booking service is available on 1800 813 153 or www.bendigotourism.com

"Celebrate Heathcote" Gourmet Wine Dinner - Sat 4th October 2008:
As a complimentary event to the Wine and Food Festival, Heathcote hosts its second Gourmet Wine Dinner "Celebrate Heathcote" on Saturday 4th October, at the Heathcote Golf Club. The dinner includes wines from 12 diferent award winning wineries of the Heathcote Wine Region carefully matched with a gourmet four course meal prepared by regional chefs. So come and join us and help us to “celebrate Heathcote”.
Cost - $130 per person. For more information about this dinner tel (03)-5423-4225 or email: info@barfoldestate.com.au