Clear your schedules and prepare to mark the calendars because the highly anticipated Barossa Vintage Festival has been confirmed for April 23 to 27, 2025.
Driven by a passionate Management Committee, chaired by Williamstown’s Carla Wiese-Smith, planning for the biennial Festival is already underway – with the aim of creating an event that both embraces the region’s rich history and highlights its prosperous future.
Discussing the exciting year ahead, Carla emphasised the importance of community engagement and involvement in the months leading up to the 2025 Barossa Vintage Festival.
“We really want to bring the community on the journey with us this Vintage Festival, from start to finish,” Carla told The Leader.
““We’re just starting the planning process now but the establishment of the Management Committee and putting out the expression of interest for the Festival Director position has really got the ball rolling.”
Comprising 14 community members from around the region, all bringing a wealth of varied experiences, the Management Committee is charged with developing both a strategic and long-term vision for the festival.
“We’ve got people from commercial backgrounds, community representatives and individuals with special expertise in finance and events, and we’ve got representation from The Barossa Council, Light Regional Council, Regional Development Australia BGLAP and Barossa Australia...”, Carla said.
““Once we have a Festival Director appointed, there will be a bit more action because at the moment we’re a group of volunteers with grand ideas.
“We’re hoping that we’ll find someone, it would be great if they’re a local, who has the expertise to pull together an event of this scale because it’s no mean feat.
“It’s a five-day festival, there’s often more than 70 events which are all managed individually by event producers, but someone needs to help bring it all together.
“We very much want to make sure that appointment process is transparent and that we’re giving anyone who is interested the opportunity to put their hand up.”
With two meetings already undertaken, the Management Committee has had the opportunity to discuss the intended direction of the Festival.
“We’re all in agreeance that we want to make sure the community is on board with this and that they feel part of it because while the Vintage Festival, as an overarching thing, is a celebration of our wine industry,...it’s that wine industry that also underpins the community,” Carla said.
“They all go hand in hand and one doesn’t exist without the other.”
Much to the community’s delight, hallmark events such as the Vintage Festival Parade, Ziegenmarkt, the Vintage Ball and Town Days have already been penned in the schedule for 2025, with special consideration to ANZAC Day on April 25 – however, Carla also stressed the importance of volunteers in making it all possible.
“The Vintage Festival is very much a Festival for the people – so, without the people and the community to hold it up, you lose that sense,” Carla said.
“We will never, ever stop asking people to put their hand up, so if anyone is interested in helping in any capacity, we would love to hear from them.
“This Festival would not happen without the support of volunteers.”
Reflecting on her recent appointment as Chair of the Barossa Vintage Festival Management Committee, Carla said she felt both excited and humbled to be entrusted with the position.
“It’s not lost on me, the immense task we have ahead,” Carla said.
“It is very much a case of standing on the shoulders of the giants who have come before us, because this Festival has been going for 75 years.
“Community is a key priority for me, but I’m also wanting to look at ways that we can diversify the program and demonstrate the modern Barossa, which is perhaps not so obvious to those external to the region.
“We have such an exciting wine and broader community here – so, I’m hoping that we can find a way to shine a light on them both.”