South Gippy’s food and drink producers are gearing up for the region's newest celebration, with the inaugural Eat Drink Play Gippsland festival set to transform Leongatha's Railway Precinct on October 18.
It was all excitement at the launch event on 26 June, with the Prom Coast producers eager to welcome locals to the festival.
Tom Gurnett from Gurneys Cider is thrilled to be involved and can’t wait to see some familiar faces. "For us, it's a fantastic opportunity to connect directly with the community and showcase the passion we pour into our ciders. We're excited for the festival to kick off and can't wait to share Gurneys cider including a couple of new releases for everyone to enjoy!"
Corner Inlet Vineyard winemaker David Chapman sees the festival as a chance for his newly established operation to reach a wider audience. "We’re looking forward to reaching a wider audience and showing off our Pinot Noir and Vermouths. We will be showing our 2024 Corner Inlet Pinot Noir along with our Cinq a Sept Pinot Noir and Extra Dry Vermouths."
Francesco and Claudio Laera from Trulli in Meeniyan highlighted the festival's celebration of local community and produce. "At Trulli, we've spent the last 12 years working closely with local producers to create honest, Italian-inspired food that reflects Gippsland's rich landscape," they said. "Eat Drink Play Gippsland is a celebration of everything we love - great produce, community, and cooking over fire. We'll be showcasing the traditional skills we learned in the south of Italy directly on the family farm, with meats grilled over flames, made using Gippsland ingredients and plenty of heart."
The festival, supported by the Victorian Government through its Regional Events Fund, will feature two sessions throughout the day. The daytime Eat Drink program runs from 11am-5pm, where guests receive a festival tote, tasting glass, and guide before sampling Gippsland's best wines, cheeses, spirits, ciders, and seasonal fare. Attendees can enjoy live music from Misty Harlowe, Janie Gordon, and Jungle Jim Smith, plus food pairings and meet-the-maker conversations. Day session tickets are $35.
As the sun sets, the evening Play program transforms the precinct into an open-air music celebration from 6pm-10pm, featuring major Australian acts including Melbourne Ska Orchestra and Emma Donovan performing 'Take Me To The River' - a tribute to timeless soul classics - alongside Gippsland's own rising star, Steph Strings. Local flavours continue flowing from on-site bars and food stalls as visitors dance under the stars. Night session tickets are $49.
The weekend festivities extend beyond Saturday, with Ella Hooper performing her Linda Ronstadt tribute show at Meeniyan Town Hall on Friday night, and bonus events across neighboring towns on Sunday including Porchetta & Pinot at Trulli, Bahn Mi and beats at Fleet Wines, and cider events at Gurneys.
