Feasts for a king - on King Island

Forage and feast on a very special island. 

The main event is the Long Lunch, when the island’s farmers, food producers and ambassadors come together to prepare a feast showcasing the best seasonal fare at hand and matched with Tasmanian wines. Other events include the Orchard to Platter trail, and the Art Meets Beef trail journeying to Whale Tail House (of Grand Designs fame), followed by a paddock-to-plate lunch hosted by local sustainable beef farmers Ana Pimenta and Tom Perry. The Divers Masterclass and Feast stars chef David Hall from acclaimed Melbourne restaurant specialising in Tasmanian produce Pure South Dining. 

This celebration of King Island’s produce and drinks culture started as a wedding feast in 2003. Led by their hosts, wedding guests – old and new friends – gathered ingredients and prepared a meal together on King Island. From that memorable meal the King Island Long Table Festival has grown into the island’s premier food event.

A gourmet island feast? Yes please. King Island Long Table - 2–7 April 2020

Sharp Airlines flies to King Island regularly from both sides of Bass Strait.

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Say hello to the Huon Valley 

A village fair, with 20,000 friends. 

For 27 years, thousands of food lovers have gathered at Ranelagh Oval for an annual celebration of the high-quality produce grown, raised and crafted in Tasmania’s Huon Valley region shared in a farmgate style festival.

Though 20,000 people are expected to attend this year, the festival maintains the atmosphere of a country fair. The 2020 entertainment program is headlined by Bjorn Again, a fun parody of Swedish supergroup ABBA, and supported by an eclectic line-up of local musicians, buskers and entertainers.

There’s also plenty of fun for kids, with face painting, entertainment and a jumping castle. Bring a deckchair or picnic rug, or both. Entry costs $12 for adults, $6 for 11-15 year-olds and $30 for a family.

A Taste of the Huon - 8-9 March 2020. The Huon Valley has never tasted so good! Find out more here....

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Vampires beware - a garlic festival

Some of the best garlic in the world is grown in southern Tasmania, where the soil, climate, air and water quality are ideal for producing sweet, nutty yet pungent bulbs.

The charming Koonya Garlic Festival features a program of cooking classes, gardening talks by horticultural connoisseurs, live music and children’s entertainment. The main event is the fiercely competitive festival’s garlic growers’ competition, which is open to both professional and amateur growers. Artisanal produce and tasty snacks feature lashings of garlic goodness, naturally!

The festival is staged on the Tasman Peninsula, about an hour and twenty minutes’ drive from Hobart. Entry for adults is $10, Tasman Peninsula residents $5 and kids are free.

Be quick! The Koonya Garlic Festival is on 29 February, 2020. Or make a diary date for late-February 2021!