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 15 – Monday 18 May 2026. This year, the festival will run over a condensed four-day program featuring more than 45 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 on Friday 30 January.
Yes, the popular Gourmet Bus Trails are back, along with the hop on/off shuttle and Adelaide transfer bus.
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 Gourmet Week in the Clare Valley wine region, in particular on the first weekend.
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 on 30 January 2026 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.
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.
