Fire up your winter weekends with What's on this Winter and June long weekend in the Hunter Valley

The Hunter Valley doesn’t slow down when the temperature drops, in fact winter is one of the most exciting times to visit. With a packed calendar of events from wine and food festivals to live music, winter markets, and cosy evening experiences, there’s always something happening. Grab your coat, rally your crew, and get ready to explore everything our region has to offer this season. 

Jazz at Gather 

Friday 12th June 

Step into a night of smooth melodies, good food, and Hunter Valley charm at Jazz by Gather. Held in the Ballroom at Rydges Resort Hunter Valley, this relaxed evening combines live jazz from Gerard Masters and the Hot Jives with a curated two course shared dining experience designed by Gather. For more information, click here. 

The UK Rod Stewart Show at PACC 

Friday 12th June 

The UK Rod Stewart Show brings to the stage internationally acclaimed artist Shaun J. Marshall — a powerhouse vocalist direct from the UK who delivers the unmistakable raspy vocals and dynamic stage presence of the music legend himself. Shaun performs all of Rod Stewart’s biggest and most beloved hits, including 'Maggie May', 'Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?', 'Hot Legs', 'The First Cut Is the Deepest', 'Some Guys Have All the Luck', 'Sailing'. For more information, click here. 

Pepper Tree Shiraz - Terroir & Time Experience

Wednesday 6th May - Friday 26th June

Take a deep dive into Shiraz this winter with Pepper Tree's Terroir & Time experience. In the premium guided tasting you will explore what soil, climate and time do to one of Australia’s great varieties. Across eight wines in two distinct brackets, you’ll follow Pepper Tree Shiraz from four of Australia’s most diverse wine regions — Hunter Valley, Orange, Wrattonbully and Barossa — each with their own terroir and character — before stepping back through four vintages of our flagship Coquun Hunter Valley Shiraz, including rare museum releases.
This is a private setting, just 12 guests, with local cheese and crackers throughout. The experience is $60 per person, and available between 11am - 12:30pm. Click here for more information. 

Saturday 13th June 

Join Michael & Meredith from Stomp! Wines, at their table in the Private Dining Room at voco Kirkton Park for an indulgent three course menu, paired perfectly with a range of premium Stomp! Wines. Rug up and begin in the courtyard with a glass of Sparkling before moving into the cosy warmth of the private dining room, finishing with a warming fortified fireside. For more information, click here. 

Hunter Valley Wedding Open Day at Bimbadgen Palmers Lane and Emma's Cottage

Sunday 14th of June

Bimbadgen Palmers Lane and Emma’s Cottage are bringing you the Hunter Valley’s biggest Wedding Open Day for 2026. Join us on Sunday 14 June and explore two of the Hunter Valley’s most sought after wedding venues, with over 30 local wedding vendors and suppliers across one inspiring day. Click here for more information. 

Oil + Tempera Masterclass with Hannah Kay at Singleton Arts and Cultural Centre 

Sunday 14th of June 

An exploration of traditional Old Master painting techniques using tempera in combination with oil paint. This workshop offers a focused introduction to traditional Old Master painting techniques, exploring the use of tempera in combination with oil paint. Participants will learn about the historical layering process that underpins this method. Click here for more information. 

State of Origin Game 2 Live and Loud at Cypress Lakes 

Wednesday 17th June

Catch every moment of State of Origin live at Cypress Lakes Bistro. Settle in, grab a drink, and watch the game on the big screen with a crowd that brings the energy. They’ll even be a special $30 burger and drinks special on the night. For more information, click here. 

Hungerford Hill's Annual Epic Lunch at Muse Restaurant

Snow Time at Hunter Valley Gardens

Saturday 26th of June - Sunday 27th of July

Step into a winter wonderland at the Hunter Valley Gardens' annual Snow Time in the Gardens event. Running throughout the school holidays, this magical experience features ice skating, snow play zones, a giant ice slide, and a dazzling light display. Kids can enjoy snowball fights, build snowmen, and glide across the ice rink, while parents can savor delicious winter treats and hot beverages. For more information, click here. 

Thrashville at Dashville 

Saturday 27th June 

Thrashville, the ‘slightly heavier’ music festival held at Dashville in the Hunter Valley. Held in lush bushland confines, the popular bush blast, which has savoured some hefty knocks over the last couple of years, is back with a vengeance, ready to deliver a fresh plate of awesome emerging and established acts, which will spark pure delight into anyone with a pension for punk, hard rock, heavy metal and everything in between. For more information, click here. 

Pepper Tree Wines Harvest Lunch 

Saturday 27th June 

Join Pepper Tree wines at the newly opened Mount View Estate for a long afternoon lunch with some exceptional museum releases on the table. The menu moves beautifully through the day, and the wine pairings going back to 2016 are worth the trip alone. For more information, click here. 

Fireside Duck Sensations at Gartelmann Wines

Friday 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st of July 

Every Friday night in July, Gartelmann Wines will be hosting special four course dinners in their cosy cellar door, next to the wood fire combustion fireplace. With a maximum of only 20 people, these are special dinner where Duck will be highlighted as the hero protein and expertly matching with Gartelmann Wines. Tickets are $175pp. Click here for more information. 

Christmas in July at Wandin Estate

Saturday 4th of July 

Join in on the cosy fireside festivities at the Christmas in July event at Wandin Valley Estate. The evening includes a selection of canapés, warming glass of mulled wine on arrival, three-source meal and freshly brewed coffee. Click here for more information. 

First Saturday Lunch at Winmark Wines

Saturday 4th of July

Winmark Wine's is making a tradition for enjoying great wine and food with their First Saturday Lunches. The talented team from Sea Salt & Sage have designed a bright, fresh share style menu to pair perfectly with our range of Chardonnays. Share a light snack with a glass of Chardonnay or graze your way through the afternoon with your selection from the menu. Bookings highly recommended and available from 12noon to 3pm, tastings & gallery 10am-5pm. Click here for more information. 

State of Origin Game 3 Live and Loud at Cypress Lakes 

Wednesday 8th of July

Catch every moment of State of Origin live at Cypress Lakes Bistro. Settle in, grab a drink, and watch the game on the big screen with a crowd that brings the energy. They’ll even be a special $30 burger and drinks special on the night. For more information, click here. 

Beyond the Pour Dinner - Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival

Friday 10th of July

Don't miss the annual pre-festival dining experience, where three leading local chefs collaborate with Hunter Valley winemakers to set the tone with matched wines and seasonal plates on the eve of the Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival. The night includes a specially curated 3-course menu celebrating local produce, canapes and bubbles on arrival, perfectly matched Hunter Valley wines with each course. And a live Q&A and storytelling with the chefs. Click here for more information.  

Hunter Valley Wine and Beer Festival 

Saturday 11th of July 

The Hunter Valley Wine & Beer Festival returns to Rydges Resort Hunter Valley on Saturday 11 July 2026, delivering a full day of wine, beer and spirits, gourmet food stalls and trucks, live entertainment, kids activities, fun games, prize giveaways, a charity raffle and more. Plus immersive masterclasses running throughout the day with guided tastings, food and drink pairings, and insider insights designed to inspire both curious newcomers and seasoned sippers alike. For more information, click here. 

Mid-Winter Fire Night at Hunter Wine Lab

Saturday 11th of July

Join the team at Hunter Wine Lab for a cosy winter evening at the cellar door. The evening includes taste of Hunter Wine Lab wines, live music, wood-fire pizza all surrounding the roaring fire pits. Click here for more information. 

Bastille Day at Boydell's

Sunday 12th of July 

We’re throwing a proper long-table afternoon with live music, big French-inspired flavours, flowing wine, and the kind of atmosphere that usually ends with someone ordering one more bottle. Head Chef Michael Ross has curated a five-course menu for the occasion, built around rich winter cooking, classic French influence, and generous plates worth slowing down for. You can even add on a France vs Australia wine pairing for $55pp and taste French classics poured alongside Boydell’s wines across the menu. Click here for more information. 

Christmas in July at voco Kirkton Park

Friday 17th and Saturday 18th of July

Christmas in July at voco Kirkton Park is your invitation to escape to the Hunter Valley for a festive evening filled with heart-warming dishes and rich regional flavours. Snuggle up in our charming Locavore Restaurant, indulge in a classic Christmas buffet, and soak in the cool, crisp beauty of wine country in winter. Click here for more information. 

Hunter Valley Winery Run

Sunday 19th of July 

Take a run through the vineyards at the annual Winery Run. Runners can choose from an accredited marathon, half marathon, 10.5Km, 5km and kids 2km. The event is staged on the oval of Wandin in Lovedale and is an ideal location for spectators who can see their friends and family on each lap of the course. For more information, click here. 

Christmas in July at Entwine Hunter Valley Food Hub 

Friday 24th of July - Saturday 25th of July 

A cosy winter evening of chef-led street food, Hunter Valley wines, live music and firepit vibes at Entwine Food Hub. Their food trailers will be serving a special Christmas menu for the weekend, bringing a festive twist to the Entwine experience at Calais Estate, 151 Palmers Lane, Pokolbin. Click here for more information. 

Stomp! Winter Wine Down 

Saturday 25th of July 

Stomp! Winter Wine Down is a relaxed, fireside gathering designed to ease you gently into a winter evening at Stomp Wines. Running from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, this chilled-out pre-dinner session invites you to rug up, settle by the fire pits and enjoy wine, warmth and live music as the sun sets over the cellar door grounds. For more information, click here. 

First Saturday Lunch at Winmark Wines

Saturday 1st of August

Winmark Wine's is making a tradition for enjoying great wine and food with their First Saturday Lunches. The talented team from Sea Salt & Sage have designed a bright, fresh share style menu to pair perfectly with our range of Chardonnays. Share a light snack with a glass of Chardonnay or graze your way through the afternoon with your selection from the menu. Bookings highly recommended and available from 12noon to 3pm, tastings & gallery 10am-5pm. Click here for more information. 

Confetti and Chaos at 4 Pines at The Farm

Thursday 20th of August 

You are cordially invited to a complete stranger’s wedding! It was meant to be a surprise party to celebrate Will and Stacey’s wedding, but it turned into pandemonium – with secrets spilling out as uninvited and misbehaving family members bust in, bust up and bust a move. This fabulous 5-star experience has fun and mayhem bursting from the seams. From arrival through to seating, eating, and dancing, audiences will become part of a classic wedding reception gone wildly wrong. Join for a night of laughter, hosted at 4 Pines at The Farm. For more information, click here. 

WEEKLY EVENTS 

No matter when you are planning to visit these fantastic events will be on. 

Friday Night Wine and Chill at Saddler’s Creek 

Every Friday Night

Go where the locals go. The Saddler’s Creek Friday Night wine and chill has become a popular local institution. With outdoor firepits, wine pouring until 8:30pm, a local food truck on site for dinner and music, it's easy to see why it’s the spot to be on Friday nights. Click here for more information. 

 

Friday Night Sunset sessions at Bimbadgen

Every Friday

Step into Bimbadgen’s Woodfire Pizzeria set in the Tuscan-inspired courtyard of their cellar door to start your weekend with pizza, wine and live music. Enjoy happy hour from 5pm to 6.30pm, live music from 5pm to 8pm and made-to-order pizzas cooked in a traditional outdoor pizza oven. Click here for more information. 

Entwine Food Hub

Every Friday and Saturday night

Entwine Food Hub brings Entwine together in one place for an easy-going evening of elevated street food, stalls wine, and live music. Held at Calais Estate on Friday and Saturday nights from 5:30pm - 10:30pm, Entwine Food Hub offers a relaxed alternative to traditional dining with elevated food trailers, stalls, and drinks. With the barrel room open and air-conditioned, Entwine Food Hub is designed to be enjoyed comfortably in any weather, making it a perfect night out year-round. Click here for more information. 

Live Music at Nineteen 

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Nothing creates an atmosphere quite like live music. Sit back, grab a drink, a meal, and enjoy live music at Nineteen’s beer garden every Friday (5pm - 8:30pm), Saturday (4:30pm - 8pm) and Sunday (12pm - 3pm). Click here for more information. 

 

Handmade in the Hunter Markets 

Every Saturday 

Who doesn’t love a local handmade market when on holidays. The Handmade in the Hunter Markets are hosted each Saturday at Sobel’s Wines in the heart of the Hunter Valley. Here you will find a variety of products made by local artisans, all handmade right in the Greater Hunter area. Click here for more information. 

 

Pokolbin Farmers Markets 

Every Sunday 

Every Sunday, the heart of the Hunter Valley wine country comes alive with the vibrant atmosphere of the weekly Pokolbin Market. Sourcing fresh produce and locally made goods, grab a coffee and even enjoy some delicious food. Pokolbin Markets are held at 691 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin. Click here for more information. 

Glandore Monthly Trivia 

Every second Thursday of the month

Join the fun from 5.30pm at the cellar door, with questions kicking off at 6pm sharp. Grab a glass of Glandore wine, settle in on the deck overlooking the vineyard, and get ready for a night of laughs, local food, and plenty of prizes including a meat raffle. Rug up if it’s a cool evening as the event is hosted outdoors. Click here for more information. 

This blog was create by the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association. The Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association (HVWTA) is a not-for-profit membership based incorporated body, responsible for destination and wine marketing, advocacy, as well as technical and business support for all facets of the Hunter Valley wine and tourism industries from viticulture through to winemaking and tourism/wine promotion.