Savour the Unexpected This Winter in The Highlands

Published on 23 May 2024

Savour the Unexpected

A new Winter festival of extraordinary experiences at unique Southern Highlands locations, weaving arts & culture, food & wine together with an element of surprise!

Over two big weekends - Friday 21 June to Sunday 23 June and Friday 28 June to Sunday 30 June

Savour the Unexpected is a new festival for the Southern Highlands this Winter, boasting cleverly curated experiences that weave together extraordinary food, captivating arts and surprising locations. As the days grow shorter and the nights colder, the Savour the Unexpected festival will bring another level of excitement to the unparalleled Winter charm of the Southern Highlands with cosy fireside atmosphere, gorgeous countryside to explore, and award-winning gastronomic delights to savour.

Two big weekends of intrigue and indulgence will kick off on this year’s Winter Solstice with Cocktail Circus, an evening of cocktails, music and fun at Fairground Follies Friday 21 June, and Solstice Cabaret at The Robertson Hotel on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 June, an alluring mix of award-winning food and live performance. Among other highlights of a tantalising festival program are Botanic Jazz at dusk at the Botanic Gardens’ all-new event space Sunday 30 June, the iconic Burning Man at Ngununggula Saturday 22 June, Artsy Fartsy Boosy Foody Project at Blue Metal Vineyard on Sunday 23 June and Sunday 30 June, and feasting on yabbies and river trout with some mystery in store at River Fest at the Joadja historic site on Saturday 22 June and Sunday 23 June.

Excited about the possibilities for Savour the Unexpected, Festival Director Alistair Thomson says, “Together with many of the Southern Highlands’ most creative artists, producers, chefs and venues, GROW is on a mission to wow locals and visitors to our region with experiences to really sink their teeth into, that they’ll feel thrilled by.”

Dedicated to facilitating collaboration between local growers and producers, hospitality businesses, professional services and arts & culture, so that they continue to thrive and grow the local economy, GROW Southern Highlands is bringing Savour the Unexpected to life in collaboration with Destination Southern Highlands, Wingecarribee Shire Council and Destination Sydney Surrounds South.

“Everyone is working together to make this festival something really special for the benefit of our Shire as a whole,” Alistair says. “Our vision is to keep building on this year after year as more and more operators get on board with their ideas for amazing experiences certain to attract interest from far and wide.”

View the festival program www.savourtheunexpected.com.au and book your pick of the many inspiring ways to Savour the Unexpected offered in 2024. Plan your visit at www.visitsouthernhighlands.com.au