Who?
Saturday December 7.
Where?
The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha. It’s about an hours drive from Melbourne.
Who?
Music kicks off at 2pm and runs until 8pm, with The Cat Empire, The Beautiful Girls, Ash Grunwald, Cookin’ On 3 Burners and Sun Salute all hitting the stage across the day.
VIP options?
The Winefolk VIP Package includes a festival ticket and express check-in, access to the VIP Marquee with a private bar and lounge chairs, a wine garden, a VIP viewing area and private rest rooms between 1pm and 8pm. The VIP package also boasts a food and drinks package between 2pm and 8pm which includes Red Hill Estate’s full range of Cool Climate wines, a selection of local craft beer and cider, canapes, grazing platters and more substantial bites. An event-branded plastic wine glass on a lanyard is also included. Tickets are limited to 200, so get in quick if you don’t want to miss out.
Make sure you bring
First and foremost, bring your ticket and ID to ensure you get in, as well as cash and/or cards for food and market stall goodies – there will be an ATM available on site. As always with outdoor festivals, you can never predict the weather. Prepare for rain, hail or shine by bringing a wide brim hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, flats (or block heels) and a raincoat and gumboots. The festival is a picnic style event, so pack a standard camping chair and/or a picnic rug to ensure you’re comfortable and pack a blanket in case it cools down in the late afternoon. For the real picnic experience, food and sealed water or empty plastic bottles to fill up at designated water stations are permitted, though it’s worth taking advantage of the variety of food and drink available at the event. BYO alcohol is prohibited. Finally, bring a great attitude.
The history
2019 is the first year of Winefolk Festival. Presented by Red Hill Estate, who are celebrating their 30th year, Winefolk will be held in collaboration with Scarlett Mac Events, the team behind Peninsula VineHop Festival, to bring a mix of nostalgic and fresh Australian talent to the stage.
The vibe
A boutique festival experience with a capacity of 6000 patrons which takes place in a stunning bushland setting, Winefolk is all about relaxing on a picnic blanket with friends and drinking quality wine and the Peninsula’s best craft beer and cider. There are also gourmet food selections from a wide variety of vendors and some of Australia’s best bands and musicians. Winefolk brings the class with their Cellar Door experience, offering tastings of Red Hill Estate’s full selection of high-end drops. You’ll also find market stalls and a glitter painting station. Running from 2pm to 8pm, the festival is a chance to enjoy an afternoon in the early summer (hopefully) sunshine with friends and family.
Sustainability
Winefolk aims to eliminate single-use plastic. All patrons will receive a branded polycarb reusable glass (on a lanyard) for wine refills. Beer and cider will be sold in recyclable cans with recycling facilities available onsite. Food vendors are also encouraged to avoid single-use plastics. BYO water bottles are encouraged, with hydration stations available for refills. The VIP area features all compostable toilets. Winefolk have also partnered with Banana Bus to provide transport for patrons and reduce carbon emissions from self-driving.
Must-sees
While the festival boasts amazing talent across generations, The Beautiful Girls are absolute must-sees, with Winefolk one of their only Australian shows on the east coast for the next twelve months.
Winefolk is here to help you maintain that strong ‘gram game, starting with the festival atmosphere, wine, quality Australian artists, and body glitter stations to make you shine. But the showstopper snap is at the festival landmark: the GIANT bottle of Prosecco.
The Wine Cellar (included in some ticket packages or available as an extra for $25) allows you to taste the full range of Red Hill Estate wines.
Transport
If you’re driving, free parking is available onsite at The Briars, though the event organisers recommend making use of the Banana Bus instead. Three bus routes are available:
Blue – North Melbourne/CBD/South East Suburbs
Yellow – Preston/Kew/Hawthorn/Caulfield
Green – Sorrento/Rye/Rosebud/Dromana
Tickets
Ticket prices vary depending on the experience you’re after and how early you get onto making your booking. Tickets start at $96+BF for general admission. Early bird tickets have done their dash, but all other options are available at winefolk.com.au/tickets.
Grab your tickets and find out more about Winefolk at winefolk.com.au.
