General News
1 May, 2025
Funding assistance for Grape Escape
One of the Grampians flagship regional events has received a welcome boost with funding from the Victorian Government’s Regional Events Fund.
One of the Grampians flagship regional events has received a welcome boost with funding from the Victorian Government’s Regional Events Fund.
More than 20 events – including Grape Escape - have been granted support to help boost visitation, stimulate local economies, and celebrate regional culture and creativity.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos visited the region this week to meet with local winemakers Lucy and Hadyn Black from Black and Ginger Winery and Grampians Grape Escape Festival Director Kate Kirkpatrick, to discuss the boost.
“We've helped support about 37 events through the festivals and events funds over the last 12 months, with those 37 events we've seen one million people attend events around regional Victoria,” Mr Dimopoulos said.
The Minister went on to explain that it’s due to the hard work of those in the hospitality and events industry that make regional Victoria so iconic.
“We have become the best tourism place because our people, like Lucy and Hadyn and many others, live with passion about providing such a beautiful experience for people to come from anywhere in the world. That's what makes Victoria so special.”
The visibility that events like Grape Escape provide small wineries like Great Western’s Black and Ginger can often be a make-or-break factor, especially in competitive markets.
“Each year, we rely on that income from the Grampians Grape Escape. We are a really small winery. Grampians Grape Escape is one of the biggest and most important weekends for us each year,” said Black and Ginger Winery’s Lucy Black.
Grampians Grape Escape Festival Director Kate Kirkpatrick agreed, explaining that events like Grampians Grape Escape showcase what the region has to offer.
“It's about our hero producers and makers, that certainly is what the festival does. It obviously brings in lots of tourists and it's great for the economy, and after the summer, the region experienced were looking forward to inviting everyone back to the festival this year,” said Ms Kirkpatrick.
Held annually in Halls Gap, the festival pairs gourmet food and boutique wines with live music, family activities, and a strong sense of community.
Visitors are encouraged to make a weekend of it, exploring nearby towns, cellar doors, and nature trails.
“We encourage anyone that hasn't been here before and is thinking about that weekend away, to come out and experience what we’ve got on offer,” said Ms Kirkpatrick.
Black and Ginger are also among the organisers of a new event on the local calendar, Take Another Breath, a community-focused festival taking place in Pomonal on June 20–21.
Funded in part by the Regional Events Fund, the event is being positioned as both a celebration of the region’s resilience and a chance to come together after a season marked by fire and uncertainty.
“The event is really aimed at trying to encourage people to come together in recovery, post-fires. So we hope to encourage people to come and support the local community,” said Lucy.
The event will feature live music from local bands, artisan market stalls, and hands-on art activities for children, alongside plenty of regional food and wine.
A highlight of the weekend will be a special Friday night dinner at Barney’s Bistro, hosted by Black and Ginger in partnership with Simon Freeman from Grampians Wine Cellar.
As the Grampians Grape Escape nears and Take Another Breath enters its final planning stages, one thing is clear, the Grampians is open for business, and ready to welcome the world.
To book tickets for Grampians Grape Escape visit grampiansgrapeescape.com.au.