As Australia’s first UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy, the City of Greater Bendigo is seeking a highly experienced event organiser to develop a major annual gastronomy festival, starting in 2026.
Economy & Experience Manager James Myatt said the City was looking for high calibre event organisers to put themselves forward for this exciting new opportunity to develop and deliver the festival.
“This expression of interest is open to event organisers with a strong track record in event management and creating a festival concept, including delivery and feasibility plans, for a major annual gastronomy festival launching in 2026,” Mr Myatt said.
“The expression of interest also includes the delivery of a smaller ‘proof of concept’ gastronomy event in 2025 as a taster for exciting things to come.
“A major Gastronomy festival would be a great way to celebrate and embrace our UNESCO designation with the local community and visitors to our region.
“Bendigo’s gastronomy story is about growing, sourcing, cooking and sharing food. It is about how our culture and heritage is represented and shared through what we eat and drink, the places we share meals and the memories we make around food, family and community.
“Within the Bendigo region, there are over 100 producers, more than 60 cellar doors from the Bendigo and Heathcote wine regions, and over six craft breweries.
“Although the gastronomy festival will be held in the Greater Bendigo region, the aim is for the festival to acknowledge and potentially involve producers across the broader Region of Gastronomy which covers the shires of Loddon, Campaspe, Mount Alexander, Macedon Ranges, Hepburn, Gannawarra, Buloke, and Central Goldfields.
“This is an ambitious plan to develop and grow a nationally recognised gastronomy festival.”
The festival components will be:
- Celebrate and elevate First Nations culture, creativity, and knowledge
- Recognise our creativity, cultural diversity, and innovation
- Improve health and wellbeing particularly through healthy eating
- Prioritise environmental sustainability, sustainable agriculture, and food production as we tackle climate change
In 2019 Bendigo was designated as Australia’s first UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy.
The focus for the Bendigo City and Region of Gastronomy is based on four key pillars:
- Celebrate and elevate First Nations culture, creativity and knowledge
- Recognise our creativity, cultural diversity and innovation
- Improve health and wellbeing particularly through healthy eating
- Prioritise environmental sustainability, sustainable agriculture and food production as we tackle climate change
Please note, all applicants must register and submit their proposal through Council’s Vendor Panel marketplace by April 7, 2025.
If you are already registered on VendorPanel, please apply via the following link:
