Four Days of Food and Wine at Clare Valley Gourmet Festival
If you know the Clare Valley, you’ll know this — there’s a winery tucked around just about every bend.
And when Gourmet rolls around, they all come to life.
Australia’s longest running wine and food festival is back from May 15 to 18, 2026, this year with a tighter four-day format that still packs in everything people love about Clare Valley’s famous Gourmet Festival.
Take the Easy Road With One of Four Clare Valley Gourmet Bus Trails
You can do Gourmet your own way — take your time, follow your nose and see where the road takes you.
But if you’d rather not think too hard about logistics (or who’s driving), the Gourmet Bus Trails offer a curated festival experience that guarantee a good time.
There are four Gourmet Bus Trails to choose from. Each one takes in a mix of well-known names, hidden gems and standout experiences.
You’ll get queue-jumping privileges as well as add-on options for a VIP Winery Experience at each venue, a Clare Valley Gourmet Festival wine tumbler and tote bag, plus exclusive wine offers and comfortable transport.
If you’re doing your own thing, Saturday’s hop-on hop-off shuttle makes it easy to bounce between venues without worrying about the drive.
Ease into Gourmet Early – Here’s What’s On Friday May 15
Gourmet officially kicks off Friday May 15 with over a dozen events across the region — and it’s the perfect way to ease into the weekend.
The Clare Valley Wine and Tourism Centre becomes your Gateway to Gourmet, where you can grab your official tumbler, line your stomach and settle into the weekend with a glass (or two).
From there, you’ve got options.
In Auburn, Ulster Park’s new Pavillion is firing up for opening night. Get yourself into the gourmet groove with live music, wood-fired pizza, premium wines and a selection of local beers and your regular “hoppy” favourites.
Down the road at Sevenhill Hotel, it’s a four-course dinner paired with Rieslingfreak and Naked Run Wines.
Or keep it casual at Claymore Wines, with open fires, oysters, live music and Jon’s famous tasty dogs — a solid way to warm up for the days ahead.
And if you’re chasing a bit of energy early, the KickAss Cowgirls are playing at Greg Cooley Wines on Friday night.
Saturday’s The Day For Big Gourmet Festival Vibes
Saturday is where things really ramp up, with around 20 venues putting on something special.
At Knappstein Wines, you can start your day with the breakfast of champions – bubbles and burgers of course!
Mitchell Wines is teaming up with The Filipino Project for a weekend of live fire cooking, vino and good times.
Over at Jeanneret, you’ve got a full-blown collaboration — wines, gin cocktails from Three Little Birds Distillery, Clare Valley Brewing Co beers, pizzas, burgers, paella and live music from ROCKZEE.
Then there’s Eldredge Wines, going all-in on a 90s throwback to celebrate 30 years of Gourmet — think Gen X tunes, retro dishes and a dress-up excuse if you’re keen.
If long lunches are more your thing, O’Leary Walker Wines has you covered, while Kilikanoon is putting on a fire-driven degustation that’s all about flavour and shared dining.
At Taylors Wines, it’s big festival energy — live music, cocktails and eats from some of the region’s best.
And Pikes Wines will once again turn on a proper garden party, with oysters, craft beer, live music and a great excuse to park up on the lawns for a while.
Tasty Events Across Four Days
The Watervale Hotel’s world-renowned Penobscot Farm Tour and Degustation Dinner runs across the entire festival — a standout experience if you’re looking to do something a bit special.
Over at Pauletts, it’s a family-friendly couple of days, with live music, show bags, a treasure hunt for the kids, games and their always-popular Hit the Barrel Golf comp.
By Sunday, the pace softens a little — but the food definitely doesn’t.
It’s the day to settle in, revisit your favourites, or book yourself into something a bit more relaxed.
And Why Stop there?
One of the best parts about this year’s format — is that you have four Autumn days to pack as little or as much in as you like.
Many Clare Valley venues are extending their Gourmet offerings through to Monday, giving you every excuse to linger a little longer… or recover properly before heading home.
This extra long weekend is the perfect reminder of just how much the Clare Valley punches above its weight.
Clare Valley Gourmet Festival
WHEN: May 15-18
WHERE: Various locations across the Clare Valley
MORE INFO: Click Here
For more from the Clare Valley click here.
