Local wine enthusiasts need to lock in their tickets for Roam Central, as the four-day festival set amongst Central Otago’s vines is almost here.

The inaugural festival’s flagship event – the Roam the Valley Wine & Food Festival – will be held Saturday, January 28, at Cargo Cellar Door in the Gibbston Valley, near Queenstown.

Organisers have secured Kiwi country-pop sensation Jackie Bristow, renowned jazz entertainers Nairobi Trio and Invercargill band Little Green Men to perform at Roam the Valley. The fun day out will combine music with wine from more than 30 wineries and food. 

 Roam’s three anchor events taking place around the region will include ‘Roam Together’, a programme of events that includes master classes, cellar door tastings, cooking demonstrations a ‘virtual roam’, ticketing and transport hub; as well as ‘Roam Around Town’, where participating local restaurants pair up with local wineries to treat guests to a four-course wine and food-matched dinner.

“We want to shine the spotlight on this world-famous wine region – its terroir, local produce, flavours and people – in new, diverse and engaging ways,” Roam Central event manager Jo Brown said. 

“Roam Central is based around themes of discovery and connection, and to share our love of life in Central Otago and the Southern Lakes.”

Bannockburn’s Carrick Vineyard is holding a pop-up evening of pizza, wine and local talent as a part of the festival on January 26

Find details for all Roam Central events here. More about Roam and other things happening around Central, can be found in The Central App What's On guide. Updated weekly.

All four events are presented by the Central Otago Winegrowers’ Association (COWA) and highlight the region’s exceptional winemakers, growers and chefs.

COWA is a collaborative association of grape growers and winemakers from Queenstown, Wānaka, Gibbston, Bannockburn, Bendigo, Alexandra and Cromwell. 

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