Strategem Grape Day Out 2026

Are you ready for a seriously Grape Day Out? 

Bendigo’s much-loved, annual winegrowers festival returns in 2026, with a brand new name and exciting new additions.

The Strategem Grape Day Out, presented by Bendigo Winegrowers,  invites you to spend the day with our region’s winemakers, celebrating our sensational local wines and the talented people who grow and make them.

What makes a Grape Day Out?

Brand new for 2026, we’ve added new ticket inclusions, options to add on your favourite experiences, some serious entertainment and fun, plus the usual great vibes and hospitality that we know you love. 

Make the day yours.

🍷 Flexible tickets: Choose a General Entry or a Food Upgrade option

🍴 Food trucks, snacks and drinks: Graze your way through the day, there’s plenty to choose from.

• Little Sangria (Paella and churros)

• Jin’s Kitchen (Delicious Indian)

• Not Just Pizza (Pizza…. and things!)

• Sandhurst Snacks

• Squirrel Gully (Cheese, snacks ++)

• Coffee 2 a T - hot and cold beverages

• Sugar Rhythm - for those sweet cravings

Our friends from Bendigo Brewing are also joining in the fun for the first time!

🍴Pop-up kitchens:

Bendigo and Region City of Gastronomy Zone

The Dispensary: Slow-cooked lamb rib, BBQ tangy sauce, honey, sweet spices and citrus gremolata

Le Foyer: Hibachi grill tiger prawn roll, pickled shallots, zucchini flower, goats cheese, olive and romesco

The Woodhouse: Sher Wagyu skewer, mushroom XO, sunomono, grilled king oyster mushrooms, ponzu and daikon

Reserve your favourite dishes!  You can try your luck on the day, OR avoid missing out and pre-order via a Food Upgrade Ticket.

Bonus! Each pre-ordered Food Upgrade Ticket includes 2 dishes plus a matching glass of wine from one of our bushfire-affected wineries.

🎶 🎶 The Baker Boys Band: Head to the pumping stage for great vibes, great tunes and new friends to dance with.

🍾 Be a VIP (limited tickets left!): Register your VIP ticket add-on for an epic day lounging in The Bubbles Club marquee. Includes 3 private sparkling wine tasting sessions with matching snacks, exclusive access to the area, and plenty of sparkle.

🍷 Super-charged wine class fun: Another awesome add-on, this entertaining, fast-paced tasting session is hosted up high in the Rosalind Park rotunda by long-time Balgownie Estate wine-maker Tony Winespear and next-wine-gen Bryn McCormack from Bress Wines.

This is a light-hearted and informative comparison between traditional winemaking knowledge and new-generation thinking, complete with wine games and prizes - a must-do 30 minutes of action! 

🍇 Grape Stomp Competition: Watch all the action across three heats, as 12 teams of 2 compete across the day to be crowned Master Stomper.Longtime fans and newcomers of all ages, tastes and budgets will love our Grape Day Out!

Longtime fans and newcomers of all ages, tastes and budgets will love our Grape Day Out!

Ticket options

• General Tickets $75 online ($80 at the gate): includes all of your wine tastings and entertainment. (Selling fast)

• Food Upgrade Tickets $125: includes all of your wine tastings, 2 dishes from local restaurant pop-up kitchens and a matched glass of wine**.

• UPDATE: We’ve now added a free glass of wine to all Food Upgrade Tickets, this glass comes from one of our Harcourt fire affected wineries, so every tickets supports their recovery.

• Alcohol Free Tickets $50: event access and entertainment. No alcohol is to be consumed, perfect for non-drinkers and designated drivers.

• Teens $25 (Under 18, aged 13-17): kids under 13 are free.

• Umbrella Packages $200: hot property! Reserve your private table, umbrella and six seats.

• EARLY BIRD UPDATE: All Early Bird Tickets are now sold out.

** Food Upgrade Tickets are available online only, and will not be available at the gate.  

Pop-up kitchen dishes can be purchased on the day, but may be limited in quantities.

Additional add-ons

• The Bubbles Club

• Umbrella Package

• Wine classes

All add-ons are limited. See more information about ticket options at check-out.

Generosity with Gastronomy. What a Grape idea!

Buy a Food Upgrade Ticket to Strategem Grape Day Out, and help our Harcourt affected wineries.

Your pre-purchased Food Upgrade Ticket is your guarantee to enjoy 2 incredible restaurant dishes, AND an easy way to help give a little back to our wineries who were most affected by losses from the bushfires in Harcourt. 

We’ve added a free glass of wine to your Food Upgrade Ticket, ensuring a financial return back to the wineries as part of each ticket sale.

Food Upgrade Tickets are ONLY for pre-purchase, and not on sale on the day.  Now with a wine and food gastronomy experience, your ticket includes:

• Two pre-ordered dishes, choosing from local restaurants Le Foyer, The Dispensary and The Woodhouse.

• Festival entry, entertainment and all of your wine tastings.

• A free glass of wine matched to one of your dishes, and sourced from one of the impacted wineries.

• Separate entry gate, skip the general entry line and pick up your Food Upgrade lanyard.

If you’re not keen on trying your luck on the day to secure one of these spectacular dishes before they sell out (and you’re keen on a bonus glass of wine that makes a difference), jump online, pick your favourite two dishes and secure yours now.

The Dispensary:  Bendigo grown lamb rib - Four hours slow cooked, finished on a smokey grill, BBQ tangy sauce, Bendigo honey and sweet spices, citrus gremolata, snowpea tendril salad.

Le Foyer:  Hibachi grill QLD tiger prawn roll, herb emulsion, pickled shallots

George's zucchini flower, goat's cheese, olive, romesco 

The Woodhouse: Sher wagyu skewer Hibachi grilled, mushroom XO,  Sunomono, grilled King Oyster mushrooms skewers, ponzu, daikon

Supporting our region

As our wine community rebuilds and recovers from recent bushfires, your support has never mattered more. Many of our local winegrowers have faced significant challenges, and we're incredibly grateful for every glass raised, every bottle purchased, and every moment shared at this year's festival. Your presence makes a real difference to the winemakers who call our region home, helping them continue doing what they love – crafting exceptional Bendigo wines.

The Grape Shop – order online, collect later

Love a wine but don't want to lug bottles around all day? We've made it easy.

Browse and buy from our winegrowers digitally, scan a QR code at any vendor stall, or shop online before or after the event. Your wines will be carefully packed and delivered to your door within 10 days of the festival.

How it works:

• Shop anytime: Browse online before the event, on the day, or up to 48 hours after

• Scan & select: At the festival, simply scan the QR code at any participating vendor's stall to view and order their wines

• Relax & enjoy: No bottles to carry, no queues to navigate, just relaxed festival vibes

• Delivered to you: Your order arrives at your door within 10 days

No registration required. No fuss. Just great wine, delivered.

Prefer to take your bottles home on the day? You can still purchase directly from vendors as usual.

We can't wait to celebrate together! 🥂

Learn more about the event and the Bendigo Wine Region here.

Refund Policy
All ticket sales are final. No refunds will be issued for this event.

Event Postponement
If the festival is postponed due to severe weather, your tickets will be automatically transferred to the new date.

Event Cancellation
In the unlikely event that unforeseen circumstances require full cancellation of the festival, all tickets will be refunded in full.

Event Conditions

• Wine tastings are only available to General Ticket holders. Alcohol consumption is not permitted for Alcohol Free Ticket holders.

• No BYO alcohol permitted

• No animals permitted within the event space (service animals exempt)

• Attendees deemed intoxicated will be removed immediately

• The Bendigo Winegrowers Association reserves the right to refuse entry or service to any guest who is underage, visibly intoxicated, or behaving in a disruptive or inappropriate manner

Safety First
The safety and wellbeing of all attendees is our top priority. Please drink responsibly and look after your mates.