Melbourne Food & Wine Festival comes to Ballarat

In a nod to Ballarat’s bustling food and wine scene, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is hitting the road to Ballarat this November.  

The City of Ballarat has partnered with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival for the Regional Edition, a 10-day event which aims to shine a light on the food and drink of regional Victoria.  

Several of Ballarat’s creative hospitality operators have worked with the City of Ballarat and Melbourne Food & Wine Festival to create the program of unique dining experiences.  

The team behind local favourite, Mr Jones, has curated an immersive art-driven experience and the newly opened pop-up restaurant, Peasant, is taking over the basement of the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute for a distinct five-course feast.  

Underbar will be joining forces with another regional dining icon, Igni from Geelong, for an unparalleled experience for foodies.  

More unforgettable events will take place at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Mitchell Harris Wine Bar, Carboni’s Italian Kitchen, The Shared Table and The Canberra Hotel. With special collaborations between The Turret and Kilderkin Distillery, and Drive Café and Eastern Peake. 

The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Regional Edition aligns with the City of Ballarat’s destination marketing campaign, Made of: Ballarat, which this season is focused on Ballarat’s thriving food and drink offering, the city’s signature products and new openings.  

The City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Daniel Moloney, said Ballarat has an incredible food scene and it is ready to show it off to Melbourne.  

“Ballarat’s food scene continues to grow and evolve every year, so partnering with the powerhouse Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will get this message out to their foodie audience,” he said.  

“It’s also the perfect excuse to invite someone you love to Ballarat and show them a different side to our city, all the while supporting an industry that is part of the lifeblood of the future of this wonderful place we all call home.” 

Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Creative Director, Pat Nourse, said Ballarat is bursting with energy right now and is full of surprises. 

“If you love good eating and great drinking, Ballarat is going to be top of your to-do list for your next getaway in regional Victoria, he said.” 

The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Regional Edition takes place from 18 to 27 November. 

Tickets go on sale Friday 30 September 2022, with pre-sale now available using the City of Ballarat’s code VISITBALLARAT.  

To see the full event list and purchase tickets, visit the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival website.  

The $25,000 partnership between the City of Ballarat and Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is funded through the tourism marketing budget and aligns with strategic growth markets identified in the Destination Marketing Plan 2021-24.