There’s an excellent collection of food-forward festivals across our country: Melbourne Food & Wine, Dark Mofo, Byron newcomer Caper and the star-studded Tasting Australia, to name a few. But after hearing about (then experiencing) Orange Food Week for the first time earlier this year, I’m convinced it should be the one on your mind.

It’s Australia’s longest-running regional food festival. As a food editor in NSW, I’m embarrassed I didn’t know. After experiencing the country hospitality, I’m big-time sad I’m late to the party. But I’m here now and I’m partying: Orange Food Week blew all expectations out of the water.

The fest returns for 2025 from Friday March 28 to Sunday April 6, taking over restaurants, bars, wineries and fields with collaborative dinners, night markets, pizza parties, workshops and more. And tickets are on sale now.

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The exceptionally talented Shell House team – of The Point Group, fresh from opening The International in Martin Place – is in town for two hot-ticket events at its own Hotel Canobolas. Head to Raw Fizz to catch culinary director Joel Bickford on the pans with the pub’s Danny Corbett, or choose Locally Grown to drink whatever star somm Alexander Kirkwood pours.

You can bake a pie with local apples, picnic among the vines at Printhie, cruise through four courses in the fresh Rowlee Wines dining room, get competitive at foodie trivia, go to school at Mortimer’s or try your hand at winemaking.

There are two pinnacle events – the Sampson Street Lunch and Forage. The first will have you dining in the middle of Orange’s “prettiest street”, underneath its stunning leafy canopy. In my opinion, the second is the real standout (and sadly you’ll need to sign up for the waitlist, cos tickets went fast). The roaming feast is inspired by Mangialonga, a four-kilometre food-and-wine-fuelled hike through vineyards in Italy’s Piedmont. In Orange, there are eight stops along a four-kilometre trail, each delivering a local drop and something to eat.

It’s an excellent chance to support our regional producers and get around the country hospitality. See you there.

Orange Food Week returns for 2025 from Friday March 28 to Sunday April 6. Tickets are on sale now.

@orangefoodweek