From lamb feasts and cooking demos to wool fashion, art and history, Clare Valley’s most unique festival deserves a spot on your spring calendar
The Clare Valley has earned its reputation for world-class wine. Fair enough too. But for five delicious days this spring, the spotlight shifts from what’s in your glass to the region’s finest new-season lamb.
The Clare Valley Festival of the Lamb returns from September 23 to 27, celebrating one of the region’s favourite combinations – the first fresh buds appearing on the vines and new-season lamb at its absolute best. Tender, lean and packed with flavour.
This isn’t just a food festival. It’s a celebration of the humble sheep and the many ways it has shaped the Clare Valley. Across five days, more than 25 events will pop up from Auburn to Burra, bringing together local food, wool, fashion, art, history and plenty of country hospitality.
Whatever takes your fancy, there’s every chance you’ll leave with a full belly, a few new stories and a fresh appreciation for one of the Clare Valley’s oldest industries.
As the festival approaches, a flock of knitted and crocheted woolly sheep will begin to pop up across the region before being rounded up after the festival and donated to SACWA Baby Parcels and Emergency Aid.
From Fleece to Feast
As the crowd flocks, the lamb heats up! Slow Food SA will join forces with the Valley’s Snail of Approval producers, chefs and venues to showcase the importance of quality local produce and ethical approaches to food.
This year’s program of food events featuring local lamb has been bolstered by the inclusion of Café 1871, Jeanneret Wines, Clare Valley Brewing, Three Little Birds Distillery,
Kilikanoon Wines, Flinders Food Company and Sevenhill Hotel.
On the menu there’s everything from Lamb and Feta Toasties and deconstructed Yiros to Slow-Braised Lamb and Wunderbar Lamb Shanks. For those who like to get a little more hands-on with their food, Kilikanoon and Barbecue Revolution are putting on a masterclass in butchery, smoking and fire cooking, followed by a wine-paired feast.
More than just a Food Festival
History lovers haven’t been forgotten either. The Mustering and Merinos Magic Lantern Show will bring Australia’s sheep industry to life through beautifully restored glass slides dating back to the late 1800s.
And because this is the Clare Valley, creativity naturally finds its place in the Festival. Head into the Clare Town Hall to check out the annual Farm to Fashion Wool Designer Awards and Exhibition, showcasing the work of talented Flinders University and TAFE SA fashion students. You can also explore the colourful Underglaze Five-Colour Porcelain Art Exhibition. There’s also the Festival of the Lamb Art Prize Exhibition at the Clare Valley Art Gallery and the annual Wool and Fibre Fair at the Mintaro Institute.
Whether you’re a foodie, wine lover, history buff or simply looking for a great excuse to spend a few days in one of South Australia’s favourite regions, the Clare Valley Festival of the Lamb serves up plenty of reasons to visit.
Clare Valley Festival of the Lamb
WHEN – September 23-27
WHERE – Various Clare Valley locations
FULL PROGRAM – Click here
