What’s on the menu? Well, a little bit of everything actually! 

Foodies, pack your stretchy pants. Because when Bundy throws a food festival, we don’t nibble – we feast. From long lunches in macadamia orchards to sunset sessions in the vineyards, this is the kind of festival where everyone leaves a little fuller (in heart and in stomach).

Taste Bundaberg Festival isn’t your fancy city food fest. This is flavour with dirt under its fingernails – where menus come with muddy boots and cocktails are best served with a sea breeze. It’s food without the fuss and flavour without the filters. And behind every bite? A local legend with a story worth toasting.

From rum makers to tomato whisperers, these are the folks who get up before the sun and still pour you a drink at sunset. So come hungry – not just for the food, but for the stories, the people, and a whole region proud to serve it all up, slow-cooked and with seconds.

🛒 Taste Bundaberg Market | Saturday 6th September | 7am – 1pm
Rise, shine, and bring a basket - this bustling market morning is the heart and soul of the Taste Bundaberg Festival. Wander through Alexandra Park West as it comes alive with stalls stacked with fresh local produce, sizzling street food, and the sounds of live music drifting from the main stage. Chat with passionate producers, snack as you stroll, and catch live cooking demos from guest chef Harry Butterfield and a lineup of local culinary talent. It’s vibrant, flavoursome, and totally free.

🧺 Bundy’s Biggest Picnic | Saturday 6th & 13th September | 3pm – 7pm
Hosted by Wide Bay Kids
A one-of-a-kind community event where everyone gathers on one massive, custom-made picnic blanket. Designed for connection and a good old-fashioned chinwag, this oversized shared space invites friends, families and solo adventurers alike to settle in for an afternoon of live tunes, lawn games and low-key fun.
Pack your own picnic or pre-order a platter, then kick back with:
🎶 Live entertainment
🎲 Giant lawn games
🔊 Conversation starters, board and card games
🫂 Friendly faces and new mates waiting to be met
It’s the kind of feel-good, slow-down Saturday that Bundy does best. Keep the day going with a cruise along the Burnett River on the Bundy Belle, or take the kids to Splitters Farm to meet a few more friendly faces.

🌊 Tide and Taste at Grunske’s by the River | Sunday 7th September | 12pm – 3pm
Seafood, sunshine and seriously good company -  this Father’s Day lunch is all about kicking back by the river with a plate full of the region’s best local catch. With celebrity chef Harry Butterfield on the pans and live tunes in the air, you’ll be feasting wharf-side at one of Bundy’s most exclusive foodie events. Just 40 lucky guests, one stunning location, and a menu worth writing home about.

🌕 Full Moon Markets at Bargara Berries | Monday 8th September | 5:30pm – 7:30pm
When the moon rises, the markets come alive – with local art, food stalls, live music and the sweet scent of strawberries in the air. Before the night kicks off, spend the day coastal cruising along the Bargara Esplanade, swimming at Kellys Beach or popping into Windmill Café for a smoothie bowl that tastes like summer.

🍫 Chocolatier Experience at Macadamias Australia | Wednesday 10th September | 10am – 12pm
From farm to palette, discover how this local favourite fuses agriculture and artisan chocolate-making. Stay in the sweet zone by following it up with a trip to Tinaberries for farm-fresh ice cream.

🥕 The Farmers Table at Macadamias Australia | Thursday 11th September | 5:45pm – 9pm
Slow food, long tables, good people. This is a seasonal feast celebrating the region’s rich soil and the growers who know how to work it. Make a weekend of it with a self-drive produce trail - picking up local goods from roadside stalls, markets and friendly farm gates.

🎶 Sunset Serenade at The Rusty Gate | Saturday 13th September | 5pm – 10pm
An evening of canapés, local wines and smooth tunes amongst the vineyards? Yes please. This magical night at Rusty Gate Grove pairs perfectly with a day  visit to the nearby Childers wineries or historic streets.

🍓 Berries, Bubbles & Brushes | Friday 5th & 12th September | 6pm – 9pm
Pot, paint, and pour yourself a glass - this hands-on workshop is where creativity meets chocolate-covered strawberries. Join artist Kate Victoria and Melanice from Cha Cha Chocolate at the Kate Victoria Creative Studio to paint your own terracotta pot while dipping fresh local strawberries in milk chocolate (yes, they’re for snacking). Your ticket includes a glass of bubbles on arrival, a sweet and savoury grazing box, a Cha Cha Chocolate goodie bag, and a strawberry plant from Bargara Berries to take home. Crafty, tasty, and a little bit messy - in the best way. Make a day of it with a visit to Hummock Lookout, or a stroll through the Botanic Gardens and Hinkler Hall of Aviation before heading to the studio.

💐 Flowers and Bubbles at One Little Farm | Saturday 13th September | 2pm – 3:30pm
Stop and smell the rosé (and the roses) at this hands-on floral workshop with the team from One Little Farm. You’ll learn the basics of flower arranging using fresh, seasonal blooms, many grown just down the road by Anthony, and walk away with your very own vase of farm-fresh beauty. It’s the perfect blend of creativity and calm, served with a side of bubbly and bites from the in-store grazing table.
Make a day of it with a visit next door to The Bundaberg Brewed Drinks Barrel where you can sample the full range of iconic brews.

🌳 Farm Flavours Picnic at Macadamias Australia | Sunday 14th September | 11am – 3pm
Spread your picnic rug under the shady trees and graze your way through a wholesome afternoon on the farm. Don’t forget to explore the interactive Visitor Experience Centre, then keep the wholesome vibes going with a sunset beach walk at Elliott Heads just down the road.

You came for the food, but don’t rush back just yet:
From reef day trips to hiking trails with zero foot traffic, here’s what’s simmering just beyond the Taste Bundaberg Festival plates:
• A reef adventure to Lady Musgrave or Lady Elliot Island
• Beach hopping from Bargara to Woodgate
• Exploring hinterland towns like Childers and Gin Gin
• Tasting your way through our breweries, distilleries and farm gates
• Walking it all off on a hike in Cania Gorge or Mount Walsh

Click here to explore the full program and lock in your tickets.

Come hungry. Leave happy 😊


Taste Bundaberg Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.