Horizontal Festival has unveiled the full program for its 2026 return to Centennial Vineyards, bringing together chefs, winemakers, producers, musicians and makers for a long weekend celebrating the very best of New South Wales’ food and wine culture.
Running from 2-4 October, the Festival invites guests to move beyond the traditional food and wine festival experience with a thoughtfully curated program of tastings, conversations, immersive culinary experiences, live music, art and community events set among the vineyards of Bowral.
Named after the wine world’s concept of a horizontal tasting, where different producers of the same vintage are explored side by side, Horizontal Festival is built around discovery. Throughout the weekend, guests are encouraged to compare, question and connect, exploring the people, places and stories that shape every glass, every plate and every conversation.
Festival Creator and Director Amanda Fry said this year’s program reflects the Festival’s ambition to create experiences that bring people closer to the food they eat, the wine they drink and the people behind them.
“The idea behind Horizontal Festival has always been simple: slow down, gather together and discover something new. We want people to taste wines they’ve never tried, meet producers they’ve never heard of and sit around tables where conversations happen naturally.
“This year’s program is our most ambitious yet. It celebrates the extraordinary diversity of New South Wales through food, wine, music and shared experiences, but above all it’s about creating moments of connection that people will remember long after the weekend is over.”
New to the festival this year is Wine & Conversation, hosted by acclaimed wine writer Nick Ryan, and the Festival’s curated tasting circles invite guests to discover NSW wines through guided conversations rather than formal masterclasses. These are all included in the entry price. Also a first for 2026, the Wilson & Dorset Connection Tent offers a relaxed space for solo travellers, newcomers and fellow food and wine lovers to meet, unwind and share the Festival experience.
Across the Festival Hub, more than 80 wineries, distilleries, breweries and artisan producers will showcase the best of New South Wales’ food and drink culture. Festival highlights include Bimbadgen, Lerida Estate, Dawning Day, Bilpin Cider, Bread & Brewery, Ester Spirits, Millsheds Distillery, Black Gate Distillery and Nine Circles Distillery, alongside gourmet food experiences from Amigos Food Truck, Fire 2 Flare, The Pines Gelato, Artisan Delish Salami, Sacred Sydney Honey, The Oyster Experience, Berry Donut Van and PhycoHealth.
Platinum Pass guests will also enjoy access to exclusive tastings featuring premium wineries including Brokenwood and Centennial Vineyards.
NEW MALDON SALT CULINARY STAGE
New for 2026, the Maldon Salt Culinary Stage will present a rolling program of live conversations and presentations with some of Australia’s leading chefs, producers and food thinkers.
Included with every Festival Hub ticket, the stage offers a behind-the-scenes look at the ideas, techniques and creativity shaping Australian food today. More conversation than demonstration, each 30 to 45-minute session invites guests to hear directly from the people behind the produce.
The program begins on Friday night with Matt Moran, Mark Best, Nathan Ponder and Simon Evans, before continuing across the weekend with appearances from Axell Torres, Lyndey Milan OAM, SJ Pienaar, Richard Robinson, Stephen Santucci and Mark Holland. Francis Mallmann also joins the Culinary Stage on Saturday, giving Festival guests another opportunity to hear from the internationally acclaimed chef during his rare Australian east coast visit.
OUR FOOD STORIES
For those wanting to delve deeper, the Festival’s Our Food Stories workshop series returns with a collection of intimate ticketed experiences led by Francis Mallmann, Mindy Woods, Mark Best and Simon Evans.
Rather than traditional cooking demonstrations, each workshop invites guests to gather around shared tables where conversation, cooking and shared meals unfold together.
Internationally acclaimed Argentine chef Francis Mallmann returns to Australia’s east coast for the first time in 15 years with Godfather of Fire, an immersive masterclass exploring live-fire cooking through storytelling, shared meals and practical techniques.
Bundjalung chef Mindy Woods will guide guests through Indigenous ingredients and food knowledge in Ancient Flavours, while Mark Best opens the creative process behind some of Australia’s most influential dishes in Teaching Creativity. Simon Evans completes the series with Simon’s Garden Party, an interactive experience inspired by the relaxed generosity of cooking and sharing food with friends.
THE SOUNDTRACK TO THE WEEKEND
Music remains central to the Horizontal Festival experience, creating the atmosphere from the moment guests arrive until the final glass is poured.
Australia’s renowned party band Furnace and the Fundamentals will headline Friday night’s celebrations, bringing their high-energy live show to the Main Stage after sunset.
Across the weekend, Wollongong collective Sultans of Spin will soundtrack every Festival session with carefully curated sets ranging from laid-back afternoon grooves to sunset dance floors, creating the perfect accompaniment to exceptional food, wine and conversation beneath the vines.
FAMILY DAY
Sunday’s Family Day returns with a relaxed program designed to welcome visitors of all ages, creating opportunities for families to experience the Festival together.
The Maldon Salt Culinary Stage will present a family-friendly program featuring Mindy Woods, sharing Indigenous flavours and fun cooking experiences for children, alongside appearances from Lyndey Milan OAM, cheesemaker SJ Pienaar and oyster producer Grant Logue, who will bring the fascinating world of oysters to life through tastings, storytelling and demonstrations.
Throughout the day, families can enjoy live music from Sultans of Spin, lawn games, artisan shopping, food trucks and interactive experiences before the Festival concludes with a special family-friendly headline performance. Guests will also have the opportunity to explore the Royal Flying Doctor Service aircraft and learn more about the Festival’s official charity partner.
Available exclusively for Sunday’s Family Day, reduced-price kids’ tickets make it even easier for families to experience Horizontal Festival together.
SATELLITE EVENTS
Beyond Centennial Vineyards, the Festival continues to expand across the Southern Highlands through its growing program of satellite events.
Visitors can begin the long weekend with Bites & Barrels with Matt Moran, before enjoying the return of Battle of the Banger in Berrima on Sunday evening and Jam Exchange on Monday, celebrating the art of preserving, local produce and community. The extended Festival concludes with Osborn House Fiesta del Fuego with Francis Mallmann, a six-course live-fire dining experience showcasing regional produce.
Horizontal Festival returns to Centennial Vineyards, Bowral from 2–4 October 2026, with satellite events running across the Southern Highlands from 1–5 October.
