Savour the season: Queensland's top food and drink events and festivals this spring

Like you needed another excuse to feast your way around the state’s culinary scene. Let your tastebuds lead your journey as Queensland lights up with its finest food and drink events and festivals during the months of spring.

Showcasing unique seasonal produce and ceiling-shattering creativity, these one-of-a-kind culinary tributes bring out the very best of the region they’re staged in.

Taste Bundaberg Festival (Southern Great Barrier Reef)

When: 30 August – 8 September 2024

There’s plenty more to Bundaberg than its thirst-quenching rum. At the annual Taste Bundaberg Festival, the region’s most admirable farmers, brewers, distillers, chefs and culinary craftspeople (as well as the excellent Bundaberg restaurants and cafes many of them service) are celebrated through a series of fabulous events.

Spanning food-led discussions, an eight-course degustation, farm tours, gourmet picnics, beach parties and masterclasses, the schedule is jam-packed with local champions spinning magic out of the region’s best spring ingredients.

North Queensland’s largest food and wine extravaganza is the Capricorn Food and Wine Festival, an annual homage to the region’s countless culinary charms. Now in its 12^th year, it stretches across official festival grounds at the Rockhampton Riverfront Precinct plus signature events staged throughout Rockhampton and Great Keppel Island off the Capricorn Coast.

You’ll find kitchen inspiration in the way of demonstrations by top chefs, cooking classes and wine-focused master classes, and there’s live music, cocktail parties and memorable dining experiences to keep the good times kicking over four days.

Create your own long weekend itinerary by reviewing our comprehensive guide to the Capricorn Food and Wine Festival, and while you’re at it, be inspired by our list of the best Queensland food experiences.

Can’t resist a cold one? You’ll be spoilt for quality choice when the Gold Coast’s Crafted Beer Festival rolls around again this season. Staged right off the sand at Broadbeach’s Kurrawa Park, the festival will collate more than 400 delicious brews, either whipped up especially for the occasion or there to best represent a label’s ethos and meticulous handiwork.

When you’re not frothing over the frothy stuff, there are also food trucks, beer yoga (yes, it’s a thing), beer pong, live music and a hot wing eating competition to indulge in.

Don’t miss a minute of the action and discover everything else on offer by checking out our guide to the Crafted Beer Festival.

Blackbutt Avocado Festival (Queensland Country)

When: 14 September 2024

Renowned for harvesting some of the sweetest avocados you’ll ever devour, Blackbutt in the South Burnett region is a hidden foodie gem. Celebrating the fruit of its labour, literally, is the family-friendly Blackbutt Avocado Festival, a day party where the humble avocado takes centre stage.

Expect live entertainment, a street parade, market stalls and something called an ‘Avo Drop’ where parachutists launch from 5,000 feet above ground to grab a marker inside a giant drawing of an avocado. A sight that must be seen to be appreciated (and understood). Visitors can also learn how to grow and cook the fruit better than ever, and there are avocado-themed games with cash prizes up for grabs.  

Discover more food and drink events around Queensland here.