Meeniyan Garlic Festival 2023

Overview

If you're a fan of all things garlic, you'll find yourself in excellent company with a visit out to Meeniyan on Saturday, February 18. That's when the famed annual Meeniyan Garlic Festival sees thousands of fellow aficionados descend on the Gippsland town for a jam-packed day of garlic-infused fun. This year's program is as big as ever, featuring a hefty offering of chef appearances, markets, talks, live tunes and events to tempt just about every palate. Oh, and around two tonnes of garlic, too.

With Gippsland Food Ambassador Alejandro Saravia (Farmer's Daughters, Victoria) helming the chef lineup for the new Festival Kitchen, expect plenty of garlic-driven cooking demonstrations, with more culinary insights from the likes of Gerard Phelan (Tinamba Hotel) and Maria Stuart (Millie & Romeo's Cooking School).

Chef Alejandro Saravia

Then hit the food and drink precinct to sample and stock up on garlic-infused pantry products, and to feast your way through the day's food stalls — ranging from dumplings and paella to gozleme and Greek street food.

Meanwhile, the Gippsland Wine Academy pop-up will be showcasing a handpicked crop of wines from ten award-winning wineries, as curated by Matt Jensen (Farmer's Daughters, Atlas, Vue de Monde) and his knowledgeable sommelier crew. Here, there'll be guided tasting flights and lots of wine available to purchase for home.

The town's Main Street eateries will be getting into the spirit with a slew of special garlic-inspired menus and dishes, while The Garlic Institute hosts a series of talks and presentations dishing up all sorts of garlicky knowledge. Plus, don't miss out on the Australian Garlic Awards, which'll be announced during the festival.

Ken Spence

Top images: Meeniyan Garlic Festival