Forage & Feast Festival Returns in 2026 With a Massive Month-Long Celebration of Central Highlands Food Culture

Summer in Ballarat is all about feasting and foraging.

The Central Highlands is gearing up for a flavour-packed summer as Commerce Ballarat and The Central Highlands Growers & Producers Hub officially launch the 2026 Forage & Feast Festival — a vibrant, month-long celebration of food, wine and the people who make the region taste so good. Running from 12 January to 15 February, the festival returns bigger than ever with over 130 events across six LGAs.

Forage & Feast Festival

When: 12 January -15 February 2026

Where: 6 Local Government Areas in Ballarat

Keep up to date with the latest in food and drinks across regional Victoria here.

 

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Designed as an immersive dive into the region’s hidden food culture, Forage & Feast invites locals and visitors to discover the makers behind the menus. Think bush-luxe farm stays, wild-yeasted bread baking, spa country walking tours, pork-and-pinot banquets, orchard adventures and long lunches that lean all the way into summer.

“Forage & Feast is an exclusive insight into the hidden, vibrant, and spirited food culture of the Central Highlands,” organisers said. It’s all about enlivening summer with local culinary talent, impassioned growers and artisan producers — and putting Victoria’s heartland firmly on the national food map.

The festival’s focus is crystal clear: local produce, local business and the Taste of Summer.
Jodie Gillett, CEO of Central Highlands Growers & Producers Hub and Commerce Ballarat, said, “We’re so lucky to host this festival. It’s creative, it’s adventurous, and it’s all local. We’re proud to celebrate the diverse food culture and unique people and experiences that make the Central Highlands such a special destination. We are also beyond excited to host our first 2026 Biznet with the festival as a special event at the Ballarat Wildlife Park: Wake Up with the Animals!”

Food writer Richard Cornish is equally enthusiastic, emphasising the festival’s role in connecting people back to the source: “Forage & Feast is an opportunity to establish a connection between consumer and local food sources. It’s authentic, special, and an opportunity to let regional food culture shine.”

At the centre of it all is the Central Highlands Growers & Producers Hub — a network supporting farmers, producers and makers as they collaborate, share knowledge and build a sustainable, resilient regional food system. The Hub ensures visitors, hospitality venues and locals can access fresh, locally grown produce straight from the source.

The program kicked off with an official launch last month featuring more than 30 local growers, along with producers, live music, chef challenges and tasting of regional wine and spirits.

The 2026 program is stacked with standout events, from antipasti feasts and degustations to regenerative farm walks, cider-making workshops, long table lunches, goat-focused masterclasses, live music Sundays, distillery pairings, pizza specials, beekeeper lessons, and guided paddock-to-plate experiences.

If summer is your season for flavour, Forage & Feast is set to become your new annual tradition.

Full festival details and the complete program are available here.