Stanthorpe ‘Crushing It’ with Apple and Grape Festival Plans
Australia’s most loved foot-stomping, grape-crushing festival is again ‘crushing-it’ with plans well underway to deliver the crunchiest ever Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival on 25 February – 6 March 2022.
In the cool high altitude of Queensland’s Granite Belt, Stanthorpe has been literally “crushing-it” since 1966, welcoming 70,000+ visitors from across Australia to celebrate the bounty of the apple harvest and the wine region’s grape crushing.
“Our festival is held every second year, yet the last one feels a lifetime ago, because we were actually the last festival held in Australia before we were all suddenly introduced to Covid-restrictions,” explained Festival President Russell Wantling. “Thankfully there’s no stopping the stars of our festival – the apples and grapes, and while they are out there busily budding and bursting this spring, we are busy at work pulling together the 10-day festival.”
“There’s so much love out there amongst Australians for this iconic festival, we’ve decided for the first time to allow festival fans to join us on the journey and show their love of Stanthorpe by joining our new Apple & Grape Club,” said Mr Wantling. “We’ve opened up a $30 membership and to thank our loyal fans we’re giving them back $50 of value in tickets and bonuses straight up.”
Apple & Grape Club membership comes with a 3-Day Pass to the Queensland Country Bank Food & Wine Fiesta, a highlight of the festival’s program on the ‘big weekend’, 4-6 March. There’s also a free gift of a festival branded stemless picnic ‘glass’, access to early release tickets (which comes in handy for sell-out events like the Banquetto Italiano long lunch) and the feel goods, knowing you’ve shown the volunteer organisers your support.
Local love for the festival is alive and well, evidenced by the return of a full line-up of 9 Ambassador entrants, continuing the festival’s longstanding tradition of what was once Festival Queens and in more recent years Festival Ambassadors.
“We’ve come through drought and fire in recent history and it’s left our little town stronger and prouder than ever,” said Mr Wantling. “In 2022 Stanthorpe celebrates a huge milestone marking 150 years since Stanthorpe was founded, so you can be sure we’re putting on a festival celebration befitting the occasion!”
Highlights of the festival program include the Grape Crush Championships, Queensland Country Bank Food & Wine Fiesta, the Channel 7 Grand Parade, Rebel FM Street Carnival, the Apple & Grape Gala Ball, Apple Peeling and Apple Pie Competitions, Orchard Tours, Meet the Winemaker Events and much more, filling 10 exciting days.
Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
Stanthorpe is just 2.5 hours’ drive from Brisbane, 3 hours from the Gold Coast or Byron Bay and 2 hours from Toowoomba. To join the Apple & Grape Club by 31st October and register to receive festival updates at www.appleandgrape.org
