What’s on in Ballarat this autumn & winter

From candlelit concerts and photography showcases, to a riverside food and wine festival nestled in one of Victoria’s premium wine regions and a dazzling winter light show – there’s plenty to keep you enthralled.

Unearth New Favourite Drops

Held on the beautiful banks of the Avoca River every April, the popular Pyrenees Unearthed Wine and Food Festival showcases more than 20 of the best winemakers from the Pyrenees and Grampians regions.

The festival, which sells out year after year, gives revellers the chance to unearth new favourite drops from the wineries of western Victoria.

Pyrenees Unearthed Wine and Food Festival

April 22 pyreneesunearthedfestival.com.au

A Cool Take On History

Celebrate Ballarat’s rich heritage, unique stories and vibrant creative community at the Ballarat Heritage Festival.

With Ballarat’s stunning Victorian architecture as the backdrop, the annual festival highlights the city’s golden past and evolving future through an inspiring 10day program.

Event-goers can also expect a raft of new experiences alongside world-renowned performances that are set to inspire, ignite and delight.

Winemakers from the Pyrenees will gather once again in Ballarat for two days of winelovers’ heaven.

The Red Series showcases the best wines from western Victoria, giving guests the chance to meet the makers behind their favourite wines.

The Red Series

July 28-29

Ballarat Mining Exchange

Enjoy concerts illuminated by candlelight, immerse yourself in a two-day foodie festival at Sovereign Hill, or dust off your vintage bike and take part in the annual Ballarat Tweed Ride.

Ballarat Heritage Festival

May 19-28 ballaratheritagefestival.com.au

The Magic Of The Ballarat Winter Festival

The Ballarat Winter Festival is set to dazzle and amaze again this year with an impressive line-up of events.

Experience the sound, lights and wintry delights of Sovereign Hill’s Winter Wonderlights, watch a spectacular fire joust and be dazzled by flaming swords at Kryal Castle, then get your skates on at the pop-up ice skating rink in the Ballarat CBD.

Ballarat Winter Festival

June 24 – July 16 ballaratwinterfestival.com.au

Winter Is Wonderful At Sovereign Hill

Sovereign Hill’s Winter Wonderlights will dazzle again this winter with sound, lights, and wintry delights – all within an easy drive from Melbourne.

With a shimmering light show, full theatre program, delicious treats, snow, hands-on kids’ activities and more, Sovereign Hill delivers a Christmas in July like no other. Winter Wonderlights begins as soon as the sky is dark enough.

Winter Wonderlights

June 24 – July 16 sovereignhill.com.au

CRAFT LAB 23: LIGHT & DARK

Taking place during the Ballarat Heritage Festival, Craft Lab is known as a place to explore, learn and experiment.

A celebration of traditional artisan skills, this year’s event will feature 17 practitioners –from upholsterers to spinners, shoemakers to armourers, wild weavers to eco-dyers –who will share their knowledge, expertise and techniques with thousands of visitors over four full days.

New to the Craft Lab 23 lineup is The Great Takeaway, which will see visitors dine among some of the finest materials, textiles, glassware and ceramics produced in the Ballarat region – and then be able to take the handcrafted materials home with them.

A ticketed event, The Great Takeaway is an exclusivelytailored dinner for up to 60 guests, who will be seated in the heart of the Ballarat Mining Exchange to enjoy a threecourse meal.

Craft Lab 23: Light & Dark May 20-28 creativeballarat.com.au/ craftdesign

For more details about what’s on in Ballarat, head to visitballarat.com.au

Get Close To The Action

Ballarat will once again feature as the Western Bulldogs’ second home, with the city’s Mars Stadium hosting two games this season.

The Bulldogs will host Adelaide for Round 10 on Saturday 20 May at 2.10pm and Greater Western Sydney Giants for Round 20 on the final weekend of July.

Get the crew together and make it a weekend footy trip in Ballarat.

Round 10 & 20 westernbulldogs.com.au/ ballarat

Come And See The Real Thing

It’s the photography festival that transforms every corner of Ballarat, and this year is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Discover works from international and Australian photographers in the city’s galleries, laneways, and inside cafes and restaurants as the Ballarat International Foto Biennale takes over Ballarat from 26 August.

The festival’s theme, The Real Thing, encourages visitors to explore what’s truly real in the digital era of live streaming, fast shutter speeds, internet algorithms, artificial intelligence, and 24-hour media. Tickets go on sale in July.

Ballarat International Foto Biennale

August 26 – October 22 ballaratfoto.org