Events that we enjoyed in 2019

Live Music  

This year’s performances will be bigger and better than ever at Relish Food & Wine Festival. With three separate areas for gigs, you can expect live music at every turn. Headlined by local favourites Soul City, our entertainers will have you putting on your dancing shoes and busting a move at the Optus Main Stage. For a relaxing break, head to the Gatakers Bar & Courtyard for some outdoor acoustic tunes and a leisurely drink of course!

Times: Click here to view music timetable Location: Various areas

Food Lovers 

If you’re a foodie who loves to get their hands dirty in the kitchen then this year’s Food Lovers cooking demonstrations are for you! Celebrity chef Matt Golinski will be taking you on a journey to meet some of the region’s best home cooks and will even be leading a demonstration himself – one you sure won’t want to miss! These 45-minute demonstrations feature a recipe designed to showcase fresh, local ingredients and will teach you how to cook like a chef at home. Food Lovers is free to enter, so come and join us and grab a recipe card to take home and try! 

Times: TBC

Bond Store Gin Joint 

The notorious Gin Joint is a remedy that soothes the soul with music, variety and a class Crooners Club experience at the one and only Bond Store in Maryborough. Indulge in live performances and storytelling in the beautiful heritage building while you sip on a cocktail and enjoy the surrounds.

Times: 10:30am, 11:45am and 1:15pm  Location: Bond Store Basement (enter via Mary River Parklands footpath)

Brews & Blues Cruise 

Unwind aboard the Boat Club’s M.V. Amaroo to soulful blues rhythms laid down by acoustic legend Frank Benn. With the picturesque banks of the Mary River as a backdrop you’ll sample premium craft beer and alcoholic ginger beer accompanied by gourmet cheese platters. Your ticket includes a river cruise, sample drinks and a shared cheese platter. There will be three departures and tickets are limited. Festival entry not included. The fully licensed Amaroo is a spacious 20m catamaran boasting three viewing decks including a shaded rooftop and comfortable main deck saloon. The perfect platform for a soulful jaunt down the Mary River. 

Times: 11:15am, 12:30pm, 1:45pm  Location: Maryborough Marina

Coast vs Vinyard 

It’s Coast restaurant vs The Vinyard Restaurant! For the first time ever, the two hottest restaurants on the Fraser Coast have joined forces to bring you an explosion of international tastes brought to you using only the best local produce. But while we may be in this together, we plan to add a little competitive flare. With Coast in the left corner representing Asian inspired cuisine, and the Vinyard in the right bringing it to the table with European inspired cuisine, we’re going to put our chefs to the test and we want you there to witness this ultimate cooking battle!

Times: TBA Location: Band Hall

Sweet & Sticky 

A new take on wine and cheese(cake) pairing! Join us for a delightfully fun wine tasting event on the lawn outside Customs House. At Sweet & Sticky you’ll discover five locally produced sweet wines which will be paired with five cheesecake creations from The Vinyard kitchen! Our expert speakers will chat with guests as they guide them to their favourite pairing. One part sweet, one part sticky – you won’t want to miss out on this exciting new event! Limited tickets available.

Times: 1:15pm  Location: The Lawn at Customs House

Craft Beer Bar 

Craft beer lovers rejoice! Relish Food & Wine Festival will be bringing you a Craft Beer Bar featuring locally brewed beers and ciders. The bar will offer craft beers and ciders that boast bold flavours and hints of the wonderful regions where they were brewed. And if you thought it couldn’t get any better than that, we’ll also have the giant Optus dart board here to keep you entertained. So go on… grab your festival ticket and aim for the bullseye!

Times: 10am – 5pm  Location: Mary River Parklands

Gatakers Bar & Courtyard 

Gatakers Bar & Courtyard boasts plenty of shady spots to enjoy a leisurely drink with friends, picnic rugs to relax on and an all-day acoustic music program. As if this wasn’t appealing enough, Gatakers are hosting some scrumptious foodie demonstrations and artistic workshops that will pair very well with a brew and something from the venues regular food trucks. 

Times: Click here to view music timetable Location: Gatakers Courtyard

Pop-in Screen Printing with Nancy Brown 

Guest artist Nancy Brown will guide you through how to work with screen-printing, stamps and stencils to excite your creative palate. In these drop-in sessions participants will learn the fundamentals of stencil making, screen-printing and gain an understanding of the different types of materials, papers and surfaces that can be printed on. ​All levels of experience welcome. 

Times: 10am – 4pm Location: Gatakers Courtyard

Gatakers Artspace 

Gatakers Artspace will be full to the brim with culinary-inspired works from both local and visiting artists, including John Leyland, Nicole McBride, Cody Blackwood, Tatsuya Tsutsui and Johanna DeMaine. Exhibitions will showcase ceramics, textiles, oil painting and more. 

Gatakers will be announcing more activities in the lead up to the event. To stay up-to-date, follow Gatakers Artspace on Facebook or signup to our enewsletter at www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/Gatakers/Whats-On. 

Times: 10am – 5pm Location: Gatakers Artspace

The Bond Store 

A bottled history of Maryborough’s grog trade. The Bond Store played an important role in the thirsty days of the early settlement. Experience this beautiful building while you sample some regional produce and a range of ports and liqueurs from Moffatdale Ridge Winery. Doors open 10am to 4pm. 

Times: 10am – 4pm Location: The Bond Store

Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum 

The unusual, the quirky and eclectic are amongst 7,000 items of military and colonial memorabilia, which form displays of exceptional quality at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum. The museum has two of Australia’s most historically significant medal groups and an extensive library that houses over 2,000 books of military history. Be sure to check out the Gallipoli Room, RAAF Display and a collection of uniforms, vehicles, scale models and artwork by visiting the Museum on Wharf Street. 

Times: 10am – 4pm Location: Military Museum

Mary-Ann Steam Train

Head on down to the Macalister Station in the parklands for a ride on the Mary Ann Steam Train. The trip will take you along the Mary River and through Queens Park, a great way to break out from the bustling festival to enjoy the surrounding areas. The replica steam locomotive is maintained by the Maryborough City Whistle Stop and is based on the first steam train built in Queensland in 1873. Tickets available for purchase on the day at the Macalister Station. 

Times: 11am – 4pm Location: Macalister Station. 

Celebrity Chef Meet & Greet (FRIDAY)

Join us for an intimate evening on the deck to meet, greet and eat with Celebrity Chef Matt Golinski, prior to his appearance at Relish 2020.  Receive a complimentary bubble on arrival; canapés; main meal and selection of petite desserts showcasing the delicious menu dishes available at 71 Wharf.

Times: Friday 6pm Location: 71 Wharf, 71 Wharf St, Maryborough

Twilight River Cruise

Take a relaxing river cruise on the MV Amaroo back to Hervey Bay. Enjoy live music and watch the sunset while floating down the Mary River.

Times:  3pm Location: MV Amaroo, Maryborough Marina arrives at The Hervey Bay Boat Club at approximately 6pm.

The Perfect Rib

Join us at Relish Festival for a gourmet BBQ masterclass and learn how to cook the perfect wood-fired barbecue rib, followed by a special sit-down dining experience featuring each dish served with exquisite sides and paired with a matching beverage. BYO appetite!

Times:  10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm Location: Portside Deck

Portside High Tea

Enjoy a beautiful high tea of canapes, petit fours, scones and bottomless loose-leaf tea with a formal table setting overlooking the stunning Mary River and Parklands.

Times:  11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm Location: Portside Café and Restaurant

Portside Coffee Information Session

Coffee information session and tastings from around the world with Dimattina and Greg Lagstrom

Times:  12:30 – 1:30pm Location: Gatakers Artspace Outdoor Marquee

Talk and Taste: The Wunda of Bunya

Sustainable Services cook, Zela Bissett, will guide you through a range of local native and seasonal foods, explaining their tastes, origins and various uses. During this interactive tutorial a range of savoury and sweet dishes will be demonstrated including a bunya pesto, warrigal spring rolls and bunya wattleseed brownies, with chances for participants to taste each dish. All products are vegetarian with some vegan options. Join us for a deliciously educational experience!

Times:  12:30 – 1:30pm Location: Gatakers Artspace Outdoor Marquee