Thorpdale Potato Festival
Once you're finished eating spuds, this throwback festival encourages you to race them, stack them and even wear them.
Overview
If you love a good spud, Thorpdale Potato Festival is where you'll encounter a huge celebration dedicated to the humble root vegetable. Of course, there's no shortage of potato-based goods to munch on, with an assortment of food trucks and stalls putting their spin on this essential ingredient.
Yet what has helped the Thorpdale Potato Festival stand the test of time since 1977 is how this event extends far beyond just a good feed. Instead, the schedule is jam-packed with old-timey fairground games centred around the spud. For instance, the Vin Rowe Spud Run sees competitors race around a course with 50 kilos of spuds balanced over their shoulders.
Other challenges include growing a massive pile of spud bags higher and higher, alongside gruelling potato-picking games and mashed potato-eating competitions. There's even Hessians on the Field, where budding fashionistas take to the runway to see who wore the demure potato sack best.
Also on the agenda are sheep shearing demonstrations, motorbike stunt shows, face painting, kids' carnival rides and live music featuring some of Gippsland's most foot-stomping bands. So, if you love all things potato, start planning your trip to Thorpdale on Sunday, March 9. Don't stress – there's still plenty of time to perfect your haute couture potato sack garment.
Information
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