Apple and Grape Harvest Festival –

One of Queensland best-loved and longest-running regional festival returns in 2018.

The biennial Apple and Grape Harvest Festival will be held in Stanthorpe from 23 February to 4 March 2018, featuring 10 days of food and wine, music and entertainment.

The 2018 Festival will celebrate the produce of the Queensland’s Granite Belt, with the theme: “Stanthorpe Food and Wine – It’s Divine”.

The food and wine of Queensland’s Granite Belt will be celebrated at the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival in Stanthorpe. Situated on high on the Great Dividing Range, the Granite Belt’s climate allows it to produce crops and wine varieties not found elsewhere in Queensland, including apples, stone fruit and berries and an expanding vegetable industry. The region also boasts boutique value-adding enterprises, producing vinegar, beer, cider, and jam.

The Apple and Grape Festival highlights will include:

• Street Carnival and Channel 7 Grand Parade with floats, marching bands and carnival characters (Saturday, 3 March);
• Queensland Grape Crushing Championships (3 March);
• Multicultural Food Festival and Wine Fiesta (3-4 March);
• Mid-week cooking demonstrations featuring guest chefs;
• Open Gardens (Saturday and Sunday, 24-25 February; Wednesday, 28 February; Friday, 2 March; Saturday and Sunday, 3-4 March);
• Market in the Mountains (3-4 March);
• Wine master classes conducted by Australian Winemaker of the Year Mike Hayes;
• Australian National Busking Championships South East Queensland Regional Finals (24 February);
• “Banchetto Italiano: Celebrating Italian Culture on the Granite Belt”, an afternoon filled with food, wine, fun and entertainment (25 February).

“With a history stretching back more than 60 years, the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival is one of
the most popular events in regional Queensland,” Festival president Greg Thouard said.

“Tens of thousands of people will visit over the 10 days of the Festival to enjoy the Granite Belt’s
food, wine, and scenic beauty as well as a packed program of entertainment.

“If you have never visited the Granite Belt, the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival is a great time to
come and experience what this beautiful region has to offer.”

For more information visit the Festival website www.appleandgrape.org

The Apple and Grape Harvest Festival Committee is grateful for the support of our major partners: Channel 7, Heritage Bank, Southern Downs Regional Council, Southern Queensland Country Tourism, Tourism & Events Queensland, The Breeze, Rebel FM, the Stanthorpe Border Post and Ergon Energy.