Producers from Queensland's apple and grape capital Stanthorpe are gearing up to wine and dine more than 60,000 people from across the country when the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival kicks off this Friday.
As one of Queensland's longest running festivals - starting in 1966 - the bi-annual event has managed to succeed through drought and COVID and is once again ready to welcome people over 10 days from February 25 to March 6.
Festival President Russell Wantling said attendees would be spoilt for choice, with about 40 wineries on the Granite Belt taking part.
"What's not to love about lazing under the trees with friends in the park and being surrounded by winemakers and foodie stalls, all ready to meet your every whim," Mr Wantling said.
Some of the region's grape harvest is destined for some toe squishing, foot stomping festival antics, while the festival's hallmark event, the Queensland Country Bank Food and Wine Fiesta, is the ideal opportunity for wine tasting.
"The Fiesta is a central hub of the second, main weekend of the festival and from there it's a short stroll to markets, the parade in the main street, all the silliness of the Celebrity Grape Crushing Championships and the street carnival," Mr Wantling said.
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The Granite Belt region around Stanthorpe grows all of Queensland's apple crop and 60 per cent of the state's wine grapes.
Granite Belt Wine and Tourism president Martin Cooper said grape harvest couldn't come quick enough for some wineries in the Granite Belt wine region, who were counting on this year's harvest to replenish cellars.
"Chardonnay for sparkling wine and Verdelho are typically the first grapes harvested around Stanthorpe, with white grape varieties ripening first, followed by red grapes coming on by March in time for our festival celebrations," Mr Cooper said.
"We had a good yielding harvest last year and it re-filled winery cellars after the years of drought, but wineries are again looking to this vintage to re-stock supplies, this time on the back of a record tourist boom."
Visitors on the festival's first opening weekend can enjoy busking championships, a Friday night street party, open gardens and an Italian long lunch.
Highlights of the mid-week program include chef demonstrations, the hotly contested apple pie and apple peeling contests, and behind the scenes tours of local orchards, the brewery and farms.
The Apple & Grape Gala Ball returns to the program on 5 March.
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