Noosa Food & Wine Festival Returns To Its Iconic Roots With An Unmissable 2026 Program

The Noosa Food & Wine Festival has just dropped its full program for this year’s iteration, and it marks their most ambitious event series to date. 

Returning to their original name after six years operating as Noosa Eat & Drink, this rebrand heralds a new era of culinary adventure, and one that returns to the region’s roots. Celebrating the chefs, winemakers, producers and long-term festivalgoers, this fresh approach injects a delicious blend of legacy and innovation into the 2026 itinerary. 

If a fresh sea breeze, a blood orange margarita and long, long lunches are calling your name, you’ve come to the right place. 

What Is The Noosa Food & Wine Festival?

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The annual Noosa Food & Wine Festival is a four-day culinary fiesta, with activations across leading restaurants, hospitality leaders and some of the best bevvy brands in town. It’s an opportunity for locals and tourists alike to experience the leading hospitality and progressive dining experiences that this little holiday town is known for, and to revel in the unmatched energy of coastal dining.

Expect exclusive restaurant collaborations, celebrity chef appearances, live cooking demonstrations, entertainment, and some of Queensland’s best bites.

When Is The Noosa Food & Wine Festival?

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Running for four days, from Thursday 11 June to Sunday 14 June, the program kicks off with an opening party and an action-packed Festival Village (the series' centrepiece). The 2026 program has revealed twenty dining destinations, seven signature events, ten hours of entertainment and live music, and more than ten live cooking demonstrations. 

What Does The Program Include? 

Pack your bags for a four-night stay, because there’s only so much you can eat in a day (and we don’t believe in saying no to a good time).

The Festival has three key parts for 2026: the Restaurant Series, Signature Events and the American Express Festival Village. 

The Restaurant Series

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The Restaurant Series serves up four days of 19 collaborative dining experiences, curated events and some never-before-seen culinary highlights. 

Want to know it all, fast? Here’s a handful of our favourite events to drop in the group chat. 

• Ricky’s Bar & Grill will collaborate with beloved Brisbane fine dining venue ESSA for a six-course meal that showcases each restaurant's unique skill sets. 

• Bali’s Longtime will take over Light Years for an unforgettable banquet experience.

• George Calombaris will whip up a leisurely riverfront lunch with the Peli’s team.

• Everyone’s favourite personality Marion Grasby will partner with Sum Yung Guys for a punchy, vibrant Asian feast.

• Hop aboard a river cruise (snacks and drinks included) to Makepeace Island before indulging in a lunch by Zeb Gilbert (of Makepeace Island) and Stacey Connor (Humble on Duke). Your ticket includes your ferry trip home, but not before you take a tour of the island and sample a curated wine list. 

• Take your tastebuds on a coastal Italian holiday with Lucio’s Ligurian Long Table, where fresh, local seafood is the star of the show, second only to Lucio himself, who will (of course!) be in attendance to regale you with anecdotes and culinary quips.

Signature Events

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The Festival’s Signature Events were announced late 2025, so don’t snooze on booking your tickets as these bad boys sell out quickly. Here’s the seven events on the roster: 

• Official Opening Party on Friday 12 June: Kick off the weekend as any coastal escape should, with continuous canapes on Noosa Main Beach. You’ll delight in Italian flavours from Guy Grossi, South African Braai excellence from Warren Mendes and an interactive seafood bar from Lucio’s Marina. 

• The Makepeace Island Experience on Friday 12 June: Looking for the ultimate indulgence? This is your stop. Limited to just 40 guests, you’ll start with pre-drinks at the freshly refurbed Elysium Hotel, then board a private river cruise to Makepeace Island. Here, chef Ben Williamson will cook a three-course meal over the famed Agnes flame in collaboration with the Island’s chef Zeb Gilbert.

• The Italian Long Lunch on Saturday 13 June: Three of Australia’s most celebrated Italian chefs collide to cook up the ultimate celebration of Italian food, world-class wine and ocean views as you dine on Noosa’s Main Beach. Ferrari presents Guy Grossi, Adriano Zumbo and Andrea Ravezzani preparing an expressive, multi-course feast set against a seaside backdrop. 

• Sunset Sessions Beachside Dinner on Saturday 13 June: Don’t miss your opportunity to dine under the stars and by the rolling ocean waves, with a three-course Asian feast brought to you by three of the industry’s most exciting chefs: Lanai’s Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stanley’s Louis Tikaram and Serai’s Ross Magnaye. 

• Le Bistro, La Plage: a French Beachside Lunch on Sunday 14 June: No Euro summer plans? No worries. Make a reservation on the sand with Chef Ben Williamson (Agnes) and Chef Ben Cross (Bar Vera, Bali) as they craft a culinary escape that combines the best elements of French and coastal cuisine. 

• The Catalina Afternoon Afloat on Sunday 14 June: Coastal escapes are best spent on the water, so hop aboard the Catalina for an afternoon of golden hour hues, DJ beats, and authentic Latin flavours from local Chef Jason Jones (Bandita and Mamasita, Melbourne). 

• The Festival Sundowner on Sunday 14 June: If you’ve got any room left for one last feast, close out your weekend at the famous Sundowner beach party. There’ll be a stream of continuous canapes from Light Years to enjoy while you wiggle your toes in the sand and wind your fingers around a frosty little bev. 

The Festival Village

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The Festival Village is where you’ll find an endless rotation of entertainment on the Main Stage and Culinary Stage come Saturday 13 June. Once you arrive, collect your Festival glass, snack on some free canapes and sip on your welcome drink before settling into the show.

On the Culinary Stage, you’ll be treated to live cooking demonstrations from Marion Grasby, Alastair McLeod & Matt Golinski, Louis Tikaram (Stanley), Ben Cooper (Chin Chin), Jason Barrett (Supernormal), Darren Robertson (Three Blue Ducks) and many more. 

Entry to the Village is included with your ticket, but if you want to get up close and personal with your culinary idols, get in quick with a VIP interactive ticket upgrade. If past years are anything to go by, you’ve gotta be quick; we promise it’s well worth it.

When Can I Buy Tickets?