Look, we understand. It’s late July and the temptation to hibernate under your Oodie until October is incredibly real.
But before resigning ourselves to another weekend indoors, there is a very good reason to get up and outdoors. The Fireside Festival is back for 2026.
The Winter Intervention
Brought to us by the Canberra District Wine Industry Association, this month-long celebration is a collective local intervention designed to get us out and into the sunshine. It is a gloriously cosy tribute to the coldest months of the year, swapping the indoor blues for roaring outdoor fires, live acoustic music, and some of the best cool-climate drops in the country.
Truffles, Big Reds, and Slow-Cooked Goodness
This festival pairs those rich, warming shirazes and cabernets with the best of the winter’s ACT Region harvest.
We are talking decadent truffle-infused dinners, intimate chef-led long lunches, and mini wine festivals scattered across the region. There will be plenty of spiced mulled wine to keep your hands warm, alongside sticky and slow-cooked comfort food. It’s rich, it’s hearty, and perhaps exactly what your winter soul needs.
A Short Drive Away
You’ll have to venture slightly past the ACT border to places like Murrumbateman, Lake George, and Wamboin, but the drive is worth it. Picture a classic, blue-sky Canberra afternoon. The winter sun is shining and doing its best to warm the air. You’re wrapped up tight, holding a glass of stellar local syrah, sitting right next to a bonfire while listening to some local acoustic tunes.
FESTIVAL INFORMATION:
- Location: Various cellar doors and venues across Canberra and the surrounding region
- Dates/Times: Throughout August 2026
- Ticketing/Booking: Individual event pricing and bookings vary by venue
Find out more HERE
