Experience the Flavours of Mudgee Food and Wine Festival

Just three and a half hours drive North-West of Sydney lies the charming country town of Mudgee. The town is engulfed by rolling hills that set stage to vineyards that are dotted with some of the oldest cellar doors in the country and award winning restaurants. Theres no surprise Mudgee has earned its name as a foodie’s paradise. I’m also a tad biased as Mudgee is my hometown and where I have now returned to setup camp permanently.

As the name suggests, the Mudgee food and wine festival which celebrates local food and wine in market stalls along Church and Market street within the beautiful Mudgee CBD. Often stores behind the stalls in the street are also open, this includes bars and pubs which are perfect for sitting down and having a meal, or even continuing your tastings of local produce after festival ends.

Tickets

You can enter the event without a ticket and leisurely stroll through the streets, however, if you’re planning on indulging in some wine tasting or buying by the glass, you will be required to purchase tickets either on the day, or online prior to the event. The price varies each year but is usually between $20-$25 per person.

The ticket comes with a plastic cup, which you will keep throughout the event. Furthermore, you will receive 5 tasting tokens which you can use at any wine stall within the festival. The goody bag containing the cup and tokens can be picked up at designated areas around Mudgee a week prior to the event, or as you enter the festival gates. The latter however can be busy so expect a line up and wait.

What to expect at Flavours of Mudgee

The streets are always buzzing with tourists and locals alike. The festival starts out slower and gradually builds to its busiest time at approximately 8pm, before the crowd eventually disperses into the surrounding pubs and bars, or heads back to their accomodation.

1 token equals 1 tasting, therefore you have 5 tastings in total. However once you have used all of your tokens, or if you really like a particular wine, you can purchase wine by the glass for around $10 a glass. Additionally, all wine that offers tastings are for sale in both the bottle and casket.

Food stalls range from mouthwatering baked goods, asian fusion bowls, award winning ice-cream, smoked barbecues and nationally recognised local feta that just happens to be made by my talented mum at high valley cheese.

There is a plethora of entertainment throughout the whole duration of the festival. With saxophone solos at the iconic clock tower, local bands by the crossing, local singers at the anglican church and stilt walkers in Market street and more, there is so much to take in and enjoy.

It’s important to note that there is seating along the side of the streets, but the two churches that are perfectly situated adjacent from one another are a great place to put down a picnic blanket or allow your children to mingle with others on the lawns. Just be mindful that vacant seats can be difficult to find mid festival to opt to have a meal at the start.

Enjoy and stay safe x