October
Ballarat International Foto Biennale
Until 20 Oct – Ballarat
The Ballarat International Foto Biennale returns in 2019, shifting its focus to photographers who present the world in unconventional ways and in unpredictable circumstances. Featuring the work of some of the biggest international names in photography, the 2019 program delves deep into photographic explorations of human behaviour and human intervention, traversing the terrain of ecology, rights, race, capital and conflict.
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Paul Bangay Stonefields Private Tour – Early Spring
Fri 4 – Denver
Experience the garden at Stonefields in each season through the eyes and words of its creator.
Tour will be conducted by Paul personally, with tour numbers around 24 people to personalize the tour. This is a special opportunity for passionate garden lovers to enjoy the garden in the company of the designer.
Garden Lovers Fair – Bolobek
Sat 5 & Sun 6 – Mount Macedon
Over 45 stalls with rare plants, specialist nurseries, bespoke handcrafted sculpture, garden furniture, gardening tools and books will take part in The Garden Lovers’ Fair in Macedon. Held in the garden of historic Bolobek, the event, organised by the Mount Macedon and District Horticultural Society will also host renowned garden designer Paul Bangay who will share his love and knowledge of gardening.
More InformationPaul Bangay Stonefields Private Tour – Early Spring
Fri 11 – Denver
Experience the garden at Stonefields in each season through the eyes and words of its creator.
Tour will be conducted by Paul personally, with tour numbers around 24 people to personalize the tour. This is a special opportunity for passionate garden lovers to enjoy the garden in the company of the designer.
Daylesford Wine Tours – Classic Day Tour
Region Wide
Join wine guide Clay Watson for a whole day tour of local wineries. Tours kick off and return to Daylesford (or your accommodation) and includes all tastings at 5 locations plus lunch at the Farmers Arms.
$220 per person – approx. 6 hours
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Everything In It’s Right Place – Wine Festival
Sun 13 – Daylesford Town Hall
A showcase of small lo-fi wine producers from around Australia and the world.
An opportunity to find new and innovative producers of a variety of wine styles.
My French Table – Cooking Classes
Every Sat – MAISON MALDON – Maldon
Melbourne chef and restaurateur Denis Hagger hosts a series of cooking classes throughout the year. Denis teaches French *Bistronomique food techniques in an approachable, fully hands-on way.
Classes are limited to 4 people and conducted in a convivial culinary environment.
10am to 2pm
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Kyneton Music Festival
Fri 25 & Sat 26 – Kyneton
Kyneton Music Festival is an annual, locally conceived festival featuring a great line up of Australian music. Always an excellent line up. Not to be missed if you love your Australian indi music.
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Hanging Rock Makers Market
Sat 26 – Woodend
Hanging Rock Market is a quality arts, crafts and gourmet food market set at the beautiful Hanging Rock Reserve. Visitors can expect to find an excellent variety of both local and regional stalls offering quality Australian made products, delicious gourmet foods and fresh home grown produce.
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La Primavera Festival – Lavandula
SUN 27 – Shepherds Flat
La Primavera Festival is a celebration of spring, and part of a time-honoured tradition of welcoming the new season of bloom. There will be musicians, rural demonstrations, artisan stalls, pony rides, puppet shows, tours of the original 1860s stone farmhouse and plenty of great European-style food including a festival-sized paella, an Italian barbecue and the soon-to-be world famous pizzas straight from the wood-fired oven. Come and say hi to the farm animals or take a relaxing stroll through the gardens.
$2 – $6
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Ride Daylesford Fundraiser
SUN 27 – Spa Country
Annual fund raiser with over 2,000 cyclists who will ride through the beautiful countryside of Hepburn, Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander Shires. The ride will pass the towns of Kyneton, Malmsbury, Elphinston, Faraday, Taradale, Harcourt, Walmer, Maldon, Newstead, Franklinford, and Hepburn Springs before returning to Daylesford.
Choose a 146km, 63km or 33km ride.
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Sip and Paint Art experiences and Workshops – Step-By-Step
Each Sat – Hepburn Springs
Sip and paint art experiences and workshops are three hour guided painting experience that are social and fun each Saturday evening. Suitable for singles couples or groups of up to 12 there is no experience necessary and the facilitator, Nicole Wassell, will guide you to creating your own take home masterpiece.
All art materials provided
Bring your own drinks and nibbles
No previous experience necessary
$50-60 per person
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Swiss Italian Festa – Hepburn Springs
Next event 2020
Over a five day period the people of Hepburn Springs and Daylesford show off to their neighbours and the wider community of Victoria, their pride in the strong links to the Swiss and Italian settlers of the district in the 1850’s
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Regular Local Markets
Every Week
Saturday: Wesley Hill Market (Castlemaine) – 149 Pyrenees Hwy, 7.30am – 1pm
Sunday: Daylesford Market: Old Daylesford Railway Station, Raglan St, 8am – 1.30pm
Sunday: Daylesford Farmers’ Market, The Woodshed, 21A Raglan St, 8am – 4pm
1st Saturday of the Month
Daylesford Farmers’ Market: Daylesford Primary School Vincent St, 9am – 1pm
Woodend Farmers’ Market: High and Forest St, 9am – 1pm
2nd Saturday of the Month
Kyneton Farmers’ Market: St Paul Park, 8.30am – 1pm
2nd Sunday of the Month
Maldon Market: Fountain St, 9am – 2pm
Clunes Farmers’ Market: Collins Place and Fraser St – 9am to 1pm
3rd Saturday of the Month
Trentham Farmers’ Market: Trentham Town Square, 9am – 1pm
Creswick Market: Creswick Neighbourhood Centre, 9am – 1pm
3rd Sunday of the Month
Glenlyon Village Market: Glenlyon Shire Hall, 9am – 1pm
Woodend Village Market: Forest Street, 9am – 1pm
4th Sunday of the Month
Trentham Station Trash and Treasure Market: Victoria Street, 9am – 2pm
Live Music
Blue Bean Love Cafe – Hepburn Springs
Music all through the week. Check their Facebook page for details.
Palais Hepburn – Hepburn Springs
Beautifully renovated and well loved entertainment venue and bar. Visit The Palais website for details.
Daylesford Cider Co – Musk
Monthly daytime live performances at the cidery. Check the calendar here.
November
Carlsrhue Fire Brigade Food and Wine Festival
Sat 3 – Kyneton
Food, wine, beer and spirits. Art, craft and variety stalls. Children’s activities. Farm animals. All proceeds go to support the Carlsruhe Fire Brigade.
11 am-4 pm
97 Trio Road, Kyneton.
Adults: $5, Children: gold coin
St Erth Spring Garden Fair
Sat 2 & Sun 3 – Blackwood
Come and enjoy this historic garden nestled in the hills of Blackwood and take in a free tour or mini-workshop while the kids enjoy garden art activities.
Special ticketed workshop event with Paul’s West , author of `The Edible Garden Cookbook and Growing Guide’ on Saturday.
More InformationMelbourne Cup – Tue 5
Cabarisque Festival
Fri 1 to Mon 4 – Palais Hepburn
A whole weekend of cabaret, performance and dance partying designed surprise and delight. Acts include Tex Perkins, Miss Sina King, The Huxleys and DJs spin each night for some dance time, while Monday night is the LGBTQI dance party.
Check the website for whats on on each night
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Daylesford Craft and Food Market
Sat 9 – Victoria Park, Daylesford
Amongst the beautiful surrounds of Victoria Park, wanderers will find the best quality produce by artisans from around Victoria, satisfying even the most particular of tastes. This is your quintessential craft and food market, where everything on offer is handmade, homegrown or home baked.
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Castlemaine Festival of Gardens
Next Event 2020
Every two years, in Melbourne Cup Week, a selection of gardens are opened for your enjoyment. As always there is a variety of gardens, from grand and historical gardens to small cottage plots and gardens which will intrigue and inspire.
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Bank House – Open Garden
Sat 16 and Sun 17 – Newlyn
A superlative garden, rarely open to the public. Formal, Romantic, Horticultural, Unique. All precedes go to the purchase of artworks for the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.
$10
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Kyneton Cup
wed 6 – Kyneton
A Marquee event and public holiday in Kyneton, forming part of Victoria’s Spring Racing Carnival. This event day attracts people from all over Australia and other parts of the world, who now attend this day each year as part of their Melbourne Cup Week activities.
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Creswick Garden Lovers Weekend
sat 9 & sun 10 – Creswick
This annual community event is organised by Business & Tourism Creswick Inc. All profits are used for local Creswick projects. We invite you to visit the scenic, historic Central Goldfields Region of Victoria and see an array of diverse private gardens, iconic commercial gardens and nurseries, and more.
$5 entry
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Kyneton Agricultural Show
Fri 15 & Sat 16 – Kyneton
Carnival Friday Night 5.30 – 10.30 and Show Day Saturday
A classic country show with rides, pets, farm animals, craft tent, show bags and all the regional produce, art and cooking prizes. There is a ute muster, Friday night fireworks and plenty of entertainment.
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Budburst Food and Wine Festival
Sat 9 & Sun 10 – Macedon ranges
Budburst is the regions number one food and wine festival where mainly small and family owned wineries open their doors. Explore and experience the diversity of wine styles grown and vinified across this outstanding winemaking region.
More InformationPaul Bangay Stonefields Private Tour – Late Spring
Fri 15 – Denver
Experience the garden at Stonefields in each season through the eyes and words of its creator.
Tour will be conducted by Paul personally, with tour numbers around 24 people to personalize the tour. This is a special opportunity for passionate garden lovers to enjoy the garden in the company of the designer.
Clunes Agricultural Show
Sat 16 – Clunes
In its 159th year. Horses, utes, homecrafts and a grand parade. One of the turn-out events in Clunes.
More InformationPaul Bangay Stonefields Private Tour – Late Spring
Fri 22 – Denver
Experience the garden at Stonefields in each season through the eyes and words of its creator.
Tour will be conducted by Paul personally, with tour numbers around 24 people to personalize the tour. This is a special opportunity for passionate garden lovers to enjoy the garden in the company of the designer.
Malmsbury Village Fayre
Sun 17 – Malmsbury
The annual Malmsbury Village Fayre, a fun day full of festivities in the lush Malmsbury Botanic Gardens. This themed day outing attracts fun and family and always manages to surprise and delight with something for everyone.
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Daylesford Show
Daylesford
Billed as ‘one of the states best exhibitions’ expect a classic country show day with entertainment, animals, food and of course the show of the regions best produce.
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Art in the Vines – Long Lunch
Sat 23 – Hanging Rock Winery – Newham
Hanging Rock Winery’s legendary Long Lunch is back by popular demand to celebrate their newest sculpture exhibition, Art in the Vines – Sculpture in Motion.
Set amongst the sculptures (weather permitting), take your seat at a 35-metre-long lunch table to enjoy a delicious three course lunch, designed and prepared by renowned executive chef Tim Austin of Baringo Food and Wine Co., and matched to perfection with an impressive selection of current vintage and special museum release wines.
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Early Summer Cooking Master Class
Sun 1 – Lakehouse Daylesford
A full day of demonstrations and foodie discussion with some of Australia’s top chefs including: Scott Pickett – Estelle, Matilda, Melbourne and Josh Niland – Saint Peter, Sydney. Day includes two demonstrations, recipes, tastings, baguette lunch, wine and refreshments.
$195 per person
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Fanny Lumsden – Country Halls Tour
Sat 7 – Newham Mechanics Institute Hall
Fanny is a western NSW born and raised singer songwriter has had a huge few years since the release of her second album Real Class Act, which not only debuted at number one on the Country ARIA chart (only independent to do so), went on to win AIR Country Album of the year, be nominated for an ARIA award, four Golden Guitar awards (with her film clip for Elastic Waistband winning a GG this year) and three CMC awards.
$40
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New Years Eve Parade
31- Daylesford
Annual free event for the whole family to enjoy.
January
New Years Day Races
New Years Day – Hanging Rock
This event attracts over 3,000 each year. Racing at the Rock is considered by most people as a very unique experience, the best that Country Racing can offer, a true Aussie Day Out and a must for the “Bucket List”.
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Glenlyon Mixed Sports day
New Years Day – Glenlyon
Join in a long tradition of fun and games at the Glenlyon Sports Day on New Year’s Day. Since 1857 locals have battled it out on the racetrack, in the wood chop arena, delicate women have competed throwing gumboots (not very PC – is it?), sculling mineral water, scoffing bullboars …. From 10am at the Glenlyon Reserve. All proceeds go to local charities and organisations.
Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm – Harvest Festival
Shepherds Flat
Celebrate Lavandula Swiss Italian Farms lavender harvest. Visitors are welcome to learn about the lavender process from cutting in the field to watching the flowers being distilled for their precious essential oil. Hundreds of bunches will hang beneath every available verandah and, of course, our fresh lavender will be available for sale. 10am-5pm
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Elton John – Farewell Yellow Brick Road
Sat 25 & Sun 26 – Hanging Rock
Sir Elton John, recently crowned by Billboard as the most successful performing male solo artist of all time, today revealed that a Hanging Rock concert for Saturday 25 January 2020 will be included in the epic 15-date Australian leg of his global Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Elton perform one last time at one of the most unique venues in Australia.
More InformationAustralia Day Races
Sat 26 – Hanging Rock
This event attracts over 3,000 each year. Racing at the Rock is considered by most people as a very unique experience, the best that Country Racing can offer, a true Aussie Day Out and a must for the “Bucket List”.
More InformationFebruary
Australia Day Holiday – Mon 27
St Valentines Day – Friday 14
March
Labour Day Holiday (Vic) – Mon 6
Chillout
DAYLESFORD
Labour Day Weekend – Dates announced closer to event.
ChillOut, Australia’s number one Queer Country Pride festival, is in its 23nd year in 2020.
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Macedon Ranges Sustainable Living Festival
Woodend
Dates announced closer to event.
The Macedon Ranges Sustainable Living Festival is a vibrant showcase of the region’s premier environmental programs, projects, products and services. Located in the scenic Macedon Ranges, festival visitors will be inspired by an engaging and diverse event format that features an exciting line-up of innovative exhibitors, free eco-workshops, guest speakers, film screenings, and kid’s activities.
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Daylesford Polo
St 21 – Drummond
A full day of polo matches featuring some of Australia’s best players and international talent, overlooked by a row of stately pagoda marquees and fashionable crowds. Uniquely, 100 percent of profits from the Daylesford Polo go to TLC for Kids, Australia’s most inclusive children’s charity.
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Lost Trades Fair
Bendigo
Dates announced closer to event.
Celebrating the art of skilled manual work, ancient crafts and rare trades, the Lost Trades Fair, will be moving to Bendigo, but will once again giving career artisans and traditional tradespeople a platform to showcase their life’s work and share their knowledge with festival goers. There will be a range of local food makers serving fresh traditional food & drinks.
Castlemaine State Festival
Castlemaine
2021 is the next year for the festival
One of the major regional festivals in Victoria. A full program of music, film, discussions, performance, visual art, festival club and events. Not to be missed.
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Easter – Fri 10 to Mon 13
DMR Open Studios
Throughout Daylesford & Macedon Ranges
Dates published closer to the event
For 2 weekends in April you are invited visit a range of diverse working studios, bring together professional visual artists and you the public, in the beautiful surrounds of the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges (DMR) region.
More InformationANZAC DAY – Sat 25
May
Plate Up Ballarat
1 to 31 – Ballarat
A new annual food festival for Ballarat. A celebration of local produce, food and wine.
A full months program of food related events are scheduled throughout May from composting workshops to gin tastings, kids in the kitchen to blokes who bake.
All the details are on the website.
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Booktown Festival
Sat 4 and Sun 5 – Clunes
Each year the Clunes Booktown Festival attracts 18,000 people who enjoy the most amazing whole town bookshop in the world. Think author talks, workshops, live entertainment, a kids village, and good food.
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Australian Chamber Choir – JS Bach’s St John Passion
Sun 5 – St Paul’s Anglican Church – Clunes
Australian Chamber Choir with the Melbourne Baroque Orchestra, directed by Douglas Lawrence, present the shorter, punchier St John with an orchestra of period instruments. Many of the instruments chosen for this work were rarely heard even in Bach’s time creating an exciting and authentic sound.
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Great Trentham Spudfest
Sat 4 – Trentham
The annual Great Trentham Spudfest attracting around 6,000 people will again bring all the fun and games to take over the town. This festival is a wonderful way to celebrate the spirit of the community and recognise Trentham’s potato-growing heritage. With games, tours, produce, stalls, music, food, displays and of course spuds!
10am-4pm, free
More InformationMothers Day – Sun 10
Lavandula Autumn Harvest Festival
Sun 19 – Shepherds Flat
Lavandula’s Autumn Harvest festival is a celebration of the land, the people who work with it and, of course, the bountiful harvest.
In true festival spirit there will be music, rural demonstrations, artisan stallholders, activities for the kids, tours of the original stone farmhouse, great food (wood-fired oven, BBQ and festival-sized paella) and acres of gardens and grounds to explore. A great day for the whole family.
$2-$6. Dogs welcome on leash.
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Beccy Cole with Libby O’Donovan – The Palais
Sun 26 – Hepburn Springs
Spend your Sunday afternoon with 9 times Golden Guitar award winner Beccy Cole and guests.
$35, show starts 3pm
More InformationJune
Woodend Winter Arts Festival
Woodend
The annual Woodend Winter Arts Festival brings together Australian and international artists, performers, authors and commentators for the Macedon Ranges’ premier arts festival.
More InformationQueens Birthday Holiday – Mon 8
July
Castlemaine Documentary Film Festival
Castlemaine
Dates announced closer to event.
The Castlemaine Documentary Film Festival (C-Doc) is an annual three day event held featuring a world class program of films showcasing a series of fascinating worlds populated by even more fascinating characters. A curated program featuring best of feature-length documentary films globally and showcases Australian film makers.
More InformationAugust
Words in Winter
DATES TBC – Daylesford and District
Founded in 2002 Words in Winter is an annual literary and arts festival held in August each year in Daylesford, the Hepburn Shire and surrounding districts.
It is a celebration of words, stories and ideas in all their forms shared by locals and visiting presenters through readings, poetry, theatre, music, talks, workshops, visiting authors, and exhibitions.
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Antique and Vintage Fair – Kyneton town Hall
DATES TBC – Kyneton
Antique and Vintage Fair held annually on the first weekend in September, Friends of the Kyneton Museum will host this special fundraising event. Many well-known dealers will be there. The Kyneton Antique and Vintage Fair is the major fundraiser for the Friends of the Kyneton Museum, and partnering with the Rotary Club each year makes it a great community event.
September
Fathers Day – Sun 6
Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival
The includes favorites such as Kyneton’s Festival of One Act Plays, the Antique and Vintage Fair, Ferret Racing, Buskers, Open Gardens, Scarecrow displays, the Spring Flower Show and the continuation of the recently added Kyneton Dog Dash.
The Daffodil Art Prize and the Art Photography Prize will be exhibited throughout the Festival and a host of local galleries and studios will open their doors to display the work and practice of our diverse local artists.
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White Night – Ballarat
White Night Ballarat invites visitors and locals to make their journey around Ballarat’s iconic buildings, cultural institutions and streets, in celebration of reclaiming and reimagining the city through projection, installations, performance and music.
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