Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival
February 28 @ 6:00 pm - March 8 @ 6:00 pm
FREE & Ticketed Events
The Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival has been ‘crushing it’ since 1966 and Stanthorpe will do it all again 28 February to 8 March 2020.
This festival is best recognised for its foot-stomping, grape-crushing antics, but across the whole 10-days find everything from Italian long lunches, to Apple Day, a grand parade and lazy days of food and wine in the park.
Grab your picnic rug and your friends for the Heritage Bank Food, Wine & Cultural Fiesta, where from 6-8 March the shady trees of Weeroona Park will be a chilled-out hub of festival music, foodie delights, wine and craft beer. Also on the same big weekend, Saturday features the much anticipated Channel 7 Grand Parade and the very messy Stanthorpe Border Post Qld Celebrity Grape Crushing Championships! With artisan markets on too, the big finale weekend of the festival never fails to draw crowds.
Organisers warn that to ignore the first weekend of the 10-day festival would be a mistake, because it’s the 1st March when the Granite Belt’s fun-loving Italian heritage comes to the fore at ‘Banchetto Italiano’ – the Italian Long Lunch. The first festival Saturday is also the time to stroll the CBD for non-stop entertainment as the town hosts the National Busking Championships South East Qld Final.
For those that fancy themselves a talented apple pie baker, or a champion apple peeler, it’s ‘Apple Day’ on Thursday where all things apples are celebrated. All of Queensland’s apple crop is grown around Stanthorpe, so it’s little wonder it’s the home town of Kerry Stratford, the 7-time reigning champion of the festival’s ‘longest apple peel’ competition!
It’s one of Queensland’s most loved festivals and only on every 2 years! Program and ticket information visit www.appleandgrape.org
