FEATURING an array of more than 100 spectacular events happening right across the East Gippsland region, the East Gippsland Winter Festival will present one of the largest and most diverse winter festival programs in Australia.
From June 9 to July 9, the third annual festival has been extended to a month-long celebration of regional art, food, culture and nature. The feature-packed program of events will kick off on the King’s Birthday Long Weekend, incorporate the winter solstice and run right through the Victorian school holidays.
A plethora of free activities and family-friendly events offer an affordable yet magical winter getaway in a region that boasts mild winters by the coast and a diverse natural landscape of stunning mountains, mighty rivers, Ramsar-listed lakes, 90 Mile beaches, tall forests and picturesque valleys.
Creative communities and friendly locals invite visitors to experience “HOW WE WINTER” in East Gippsland as the region comes alive in a festival of light, food, music, art and culture.
Expect beautiful hand-made lanterns, projection art that augments reality, live music in unexpected places, wellness experiences overlooking lakes, long lunches and winter feasts in spectacular locations, creative hands-on workshops, on-foot high country adventures and a rail-trail ride with food truck pit stops leading to a brewery destination.
The East Gippsland Winter Festival is supported by East Gippsland Shire Council in partnership with Destination Gippsland – Events Gippsland.
“Our community’s food, places, people and culture come alive through Winter Festival events, igniting our imagination and showcasing our region,” East Gippsland Shire Council Mayor, Cr Mark Reeves, said.
“East Gippsland is a fantastic destination year-round, and winter offers vast potential for tourist growth. As a proud sponsor of this event, council is confident that locals and visitors alike will love this month-long celebration of everything that makes our shire great.”
Highlights of this year’s festival program include:
June 10: Deep In The Weeds at Sailors Grave Brewing, Orbost – C.W. Stoneking and His Primitive Horn Orchestra will headline Sailors Grave’s infamous ‘Deep in the Weeds Festival’, held in a 130-year old butter factory on the banks of the Snowy River. Dinner catered by Meatsmiths Melbourne with dessert from The Lindenow Long Paddock.
June 10: Fire & Ice, Metung – Live ice sculpting and a spectacular fire show on the Metung Village Green overlooking the tranquil waters of Bancroft Bay.
June 24: Bruthen Medieval Winter Fire Festival, Bruthen – featuring sword fights, bonfires, music, roving performers, costumes and feasting – this event is not to be missed.
July 1: Lakes Lights, Lakes Entrance – a community lantern parade across the Lakes Entrance Footbridge leading to a magical curated display of artist-made lanterns, installations and projection art on the small stretch of land between the Gippsland Lakes and the 90 Mile Beach.
July 8: Winter in Laneway 3875, Bairnsdale – a laneway party in the heart of Bairnsdale’s CBD featuring projection art, live music, street food from Bairnsdale’s best eateries, local craft beer and wine, and the foundry artist collective.
The full program of events for this year’s East Gippsland Winter Festival will be announced at a launch event on April 29 at Rivendell Farm Estate.
For more information, including ongoing program updates, visit egwinterfest.com.au
