Frequent Festival Questions
All your questions answered for the Clare Valley Gourmet Festival
Everything you need to know before you go.
Whether it’s about festival dates, shuttle buses, tickets or dining options, these FAQs cover the key details to make your Clare Valley Gourmet Festival experience smooth and enjoyable.
The flagship food and wine event for the state's Mid-North will be taking place from Friday 14 – Monday 17 May 2027. The festival will run over a four-day program featuring multiple events across the region. The Festival brings together long lunches, tastings, live music and hosted experiences, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the breadth of Clare Valley’s wine and food culture. Full program launch in February 2027.
Yes, the Hop On/Off Shuttle will be running with interconnecting loops so you can experience every corner of the Valley. The popular Gourmet Bus Trails are back in some format, stay tuned for program launch for all the details. Plus if you are coming from Adelaide there will be Return Adelaide Trasfers along with the Clare Valley Pick-up Service to get you to the Clare Valley Food, Wine & Tourism Centre where all of the buses depart.
If you attend ‘festival’ events (marked on the program), then yes. Your shatter-proof Gourmet wine tumbler is your 'passport’ to all general admission events. Everyone will need to have their own Gourmet Wine Tumbler which can be purchased at participating venues or pre-purchased online and collected once you arrive in the region. Wine will be poured into this tumbler which you can keep as a souvenir for the weekend. These wine tumblers are only required for 'Festival' (General Admission) events, not for masterclasses or long lunches, etc. which are marked on the program.
Please check the events you want to attend on the program, as it is marked if they are ticketed or not. We suggest doing this early to avoid missing out on any events.
Accommodation is tight for the Gourmet Festival in the Clare Valley wine region.
If you can’t find anything suitable, why not:
- Look into towns nearby, such as the gorgeous historic township of Burra, just 30 minutes from Clare,
- Come for the day from Adelaide - simply purchase a Gourmet Bus Trail ticket or Hop On/Off Shuttle bus ticket + add on an Adelaide bus transfer ticket. No driving required!
The program will be officially launched in February 2027 with great functionality added to the website to make it easier than ever to plan your festival visit. Filter by date, search for your favourite venue and add events to your itinerary with the (heart icon) wish list function.
Most definitely! Many venues offer a more chilled and relaxed event. Check the program for further information and bookings.
Events have been asked to provide details of their dietary catering. If you’re booking in for a long lunch or masterclass for example, please advise of your dietary requirement when booking or contact the venue directly.
Yes – most venues have non-alcoholic drink options so you can still enjoy the food and the music on offer but check with the venue specifically if you are concerned.
