Laneway wine time, beachside bites and a figgy picnic
Upcoming food and drink happenings in South Australia, including the East End Wine Down, an orchard picnic celebrating the end of the fig season, Beachside Food and Wine Festival, and a taste of Greece in Victoria Square.
East End Wine Down – March 24
The East End Wine Down is back for its 15th year this Saturday and with it comes a collection of around 180 South Australian wines to try, as well as SA-made beer, cider and gin. Event director Michael Andrewartha, of East End Cellars, says Vardon Avenue will become “a wonderland of wine” for the event, with the 50 participating wineries including a contingency of “minimum interventionists, the eccentric and the rebels”. DJs will set the mood, and there will be street-style food from Mothervine, Nola, Eros and Lemongrass. The Wine Down will run from 12pm until 5pm; tickets ($35 plus booking fee) can be purchased here.
Fignic in the Orchard – March 25
For fans of all things figgy, this picnic at Glen Ewin Estate in the Adelaide Hills sounds like a sweet way to celebrate the end of the season. There will be local produce hampers, a bar, fig picking, food stalls and live music (BYO picnic rug). Entry is $79 for two adults, including hamper, and $12 for kids under 12. Bookings essential.
Beachside Food and Wine Festival – March 24
More than 40 vendors will be serving up a wide range of cuisines, SA wine and beer – for tasting and purchase – at the Beachside Food and Wine Festival this Saturday in Rotary Park and the Esplanade at Christies Beach. Sprout Cooking School will run cooking demos at 1pm, 2.30pm and 4.15pm, and there will be live music and other entertainment throughout the day from midday until 9pm. A free shuttle bus will run every 30 minutes from the Noarlunga Centre interchange and back. Details here.
Whisky tasting at Hains & Co – March 24
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In the second annual SA meet-up of its “Australian Whisky Appreciation Society”, Gilbert Place small bar Hains & Co is hosting a tasting with Tim Duckett, of Tasmania’s Heartwood Malt Whisky. The whiskies are matured in a variety of barrel types – including bourbon and Australian muscat, port and sherry – with some approaching 17 years of age. There will also be a “special showing” from the Fleurieu Distillery. Details here.
Glendi Greek Festival – March 23-25
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Glendi Greek Festival and will also see it move to a new home in Victoria Square. Along with a weekend of music, dance, art and culture, you can also expect an array of Greek food such as souvlaki, loukaniko (sausage), spanakopita, loukoumades, baklava, galaktoboureko (sweet custard pie), crepes and more.
Fork at the Cove – March 25
Fork on the Road has teamed up with the City of Marion for an event that will see more than 20 food trucks converge on the Heron Way Reserve at Hallett Cove between 2pm and 6pm this Sunday. There will be live music, open mic sessions, kids’ entertainment and an air-guitar competition. Details here.
Adelaide Heirloom Weekend – April 7-8
The Diggers Club’s Heirloom Weekend returns to the Adelaide Botanic Garden next month with a weekend of free cooking and preserving workshops, garden tours and other activities. There will also be several masterclasses – featuring Diggers’ co-founder Clive Blazey, Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis and Sophie Thomson, Granny Skills’ Rebecca Sullivan and chef Laura Cassai – including The Gurus of Preserving and Gardening Skills and Pick, Preserve and Pig-out (both classes are $99 for non-Diggers members). There will also be a pop-up café at the Schomburgk Pavilion. Details and masterclass bookings here.
The Festival at Basket Range – April 7
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Celebrate another harvest season with a batch of the Adelaide Hills’ most interesting and eclectic winemakers at The Festival at Basket Range. Many of the producers from the 2017 event at Basket Range Oval will be in tow, along with some newcomers. There will be live music, great food, interactive activities for the kids, and very good wine. For more information, keep an eye on the event page.
Tasting Australia – April 13-22
A gin bar in the Town Square at last year’s Tasting Australia.
The program for this year’s Tasting Australia features more than 140 events across 10 days in April, including workshops, master-classes, degustation dinners, foraging adventures and underground feasts. The festival will open with a Surrealist Ball at the new d’Arenberg Cube in McLaren Vale, with other special events this year including “Tasting Australia Airlines” – a full-day luxury experience to SA culinary regions such as Kangaroo Island, Coffin Bay and the Limestone Coast – and the inaugural TA National Spirit Awards (more about that here). See the full program online.
Urban Wine Walk – May 19
This self-guided wine-tasting experience offers the chance to sample wines from makers such as La Prova, Yeti & the Kokonut, Hither & Yon, The Lane Vineyard and Chaffey Bros Wine Co at West End bars including Udaberri, Electra House, Hains & Co, MYLK Bar and La Buvette. Tickets are $55 and must be purchased prior to the event. For details see the Facebook event page.
Taste of SA – May 19 and 20
Adelaide producers of condiments, wine, cheese, chocolate, patisserie, jams, chutneys, olives and baked goods will gather at 230 Flinders Street for the annual Taste of SA event hosted by Market to Market and City East Markets. It will run from 10am until 3pm both days.
News, tips and information?
Please send details of any upcoming food and/or drink events to: [email protected].
