Kingston's first food and wine festival to celebrate our producer

The Kingston Agricultural Society is launching its inaugural food and wine festival at the end of October.

Committee member Rachel Yeo said they were looking forward to bringing more people into Kingston.

"Kingston is a wonderful little historic town and the Showgrounds itself is a beautiful location to host an event," Ms Yeo said.

"We thought it was a bit unused."

Hepburn Distillery founder Basil Eliades said it was great to have an event for both tourists and residents.

"Kudos to the organisers and everybody supporting it," he said.

"It is about local producers getting together and offering something for visitors, both are really good."

Mr Eliades said the festival's ethos of celebrating great producers in the area worked well with the goals of the distillery.

"Everything we do is about local, hands-on sustainability," he said.

"We make vodka from local organic spuds grown just for us ... we are entirely about the process of being really present, from the materials, the rainwater and soil."

"Kingston and the idea of local food and wine is exactly that ... what do we do fabulously that is immediately from this area."

Viking Bread creator Bo Bergstrand will be attending the show, this is also his first time attending a food and wine festival.

Mr Bergstran's Danish authentic dark rye started as a COVID-19 lockdown hobby, which he now sells online.

While the economic climate means people are tightening the purse strings, Mr Bergstran said it was important to support local businesses, "even though it might be a little bit more expensive than the supermarkets".

He will have a busy few days beforehand making sure he is prepared, but is looking forward to seeing how it goes.

Each year the agricultural society hosts their show at the venue.

Ms Yeo said the annual show is a success and they wanted to keep building Kingston's profile in the wider community with this new event.

"I think [Kingston] is a little-known town outside the direct area and it's nice to bring people into small towns and create a bit of a buzz," she said.

She said Kingston's proximity to the Daylesford Macedon ranges wine region and the Ballarat Goldfields region means they are close to a wide number of producers.

"It is a nice central spot, kind of in the middle of everybody where all the amazing food and drink is being made."

Ms Yeo said it will be family friendly, with activities for kids including roving circus performers, arts and crafts and face painting.

"Parents can have a glass of wine and the kids can have a bit of fun," she said.

They will also be raising money for local volunteer groups like the CFA.

"They're so supportive to our communities and they're very supportive to us," Ms Yeo said.

Early bird tickets are available online for the October 28 event.

Buses will be running to and from Kingston and parking is available at the showgrounds.

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