Unmissable Summer Events Across Daylesford, the Macedon Ranges and beyond
As summer heats up, so does the action across Victoria’s heartland. From vibrant Highland Gatherings and festive vineyard celebrations to art exhibitions, foodie experiences, and classic car shows, there is plenty to keep you busy all summer long. Check out our list of upcoming events (in date order) and start planning your trip now.
Daylesford Highland Gathering
Gather the clan for a vibrant celebration of Scottish culture in Daylesford. Enjoy the iconic Pipe Band Street March along Vincent Street, the thrilling Highland Pipe Band Contest spanning seven grades, and the Victorian Highland Dance Championships. Witness the strength and skill on display at the Highland heavy games, including the Victorian Championship light and heavy hammer throw. Explore your heritage at the clan tents, indulge in delicious food, and browse unique retail stalls.
When: Saturday 6 December, from 9am-4:30pm
Where: Victoria Park, 3021 Ballan-Daylesford Road, Daylesford
Further information: daylesfordhighland.com
Fete De La Fleur at Lyons Will Estate, Lancefield
Join Lyons Will Estate for their 4th annual Fete De La Fleur Festival, a day celebrating a new grape growing season, new wines, great music and good food. This year they have chef Bente Grysbeck, a specialist in outdoor wood fire cooking, who will be serving up delicious food alongside Lyons Will’s newly released wines. Bring your picnic rug, soak up the vineyard views, and enjoy a relaxing afternoon with family and friends.
When: Sunday 7 December, from 12pm-5pm
Where: Lyons Will Estate, 60 Whalans Track, Lancefield
Further information: lyonswillestate.com.au/events.html
Daylesford New Year’s Eve Parade and Gala
Celebrate the end of 2025 in the heart of Daylesford with the return of the Daylesford New Year’s Eve Parade and Gala. This is a fun, inclusive, event for the whole family which includes live music, food trucks, and family fun. Kids will love the petting zoo, jumpy castle, and crafts. Don’t miss the iconic Woodchop at 6:30pm, then the colourful parade at 8pm featuring Lion Dancers. The night ends with pipes and drums and a moving Auld Lang Syne.
When: Wednesday 31 December, 2025, from 6pm-9pm
Where: Vincent Street, Daylesford
Further information: daylesfordnye.com.au
Maryborough Highland Gathering
At the 163rd Maryborough Highland Gathering attendees can enjoy a full day of Scottish tradition and athletic spectacle, including the Street March, Highland Pipe and Brass Bands, Highland Dancing, athletics, caber tossing, strongman events, and the iconic Maryborough Gift. Families can explore sideshows, food stalls, and evening fireworks, while massed bands and dancers create an unforgettable atmosphere. What began with Scottish prospectors recreating their traditional New Year Highland festivities has grown into an annual celebration of culture and sport, now recognised as Australia’s oldest continuous sporting event.
When: Thursday 1 January. 2026
Where: Princes Park, Maryborough
Further information: highlandsociety.com.au/highland-gathering
Sisko Chocolate – New Year celebration
Celebrate the New Year with an evening of sophistication and sensory indulgence at the new Sisko Chocolate Studio in Trentham. The evening offers a rare opportunity to step behind the scenes of Sisko’s working chocolaterie – explore their chocolate-making kitchen and watch how chocolate is crafted through demonstrations and storytelling. Tickets include a glass of wine on arrival, a curated selection of savoury bites and Sisko’s signature chocolate creations.
When: Thursday 2 January 2026, from 7pm to 9pm
Cost: $95.00pp
Where: Sisko Chocolate Studio, 5 Albert Street, Trentham
Further information: siskochocolate.com
Central Highlands Forage and Feast
With its wide range of unique experiences and exclusive events, Forage & Feast offers you a peek behind the curtain, to see, learn, & taste all that the Central Highlands has to offer. Spend your summer with our passionate growers, artisan producers, and culinary talents. The program offers a plethora of opportunities to explore and experience, rejuvenate and indulge.
Highlights include:
- Daylesford Walk Talk Forage & Feast: Foodie & History Walking Tour with Alice’s Journeys
- A Morning at Dairy Flat Farm& Lunch from Lake House Daylesford.
- Cider and Slice: A Regional Celebration at Daylesford Cider
- Forage & Feast Set Menu at Three Founders Restaurant at RACV Goldfields Resort Creswick
- Regenerative Farm Walk & Lunch with Your Local Producers at Brooklands Regenerative Farms
- A Paddock to Plate Experience at Little Hampton Farm
- Music Among the Barrels at Wombat Forest Wines
- Bee Keeping and Sourdough Making Classes at Dairy Flat Farm
- Wild Yeasted Bread Baking at Village Dreaming
When: January 12 – February 15, 2026
Where: various locations throughout Central Victoria
Further information: centralhighlandsgrowers.com.au/forageandfeast
Summertime Fling Festival, Macedon Ranges
Join a month-long celebration of wine, summer and good times in the scenic Macedon Ranges wine region, as the Summertime Fling Festival takes place. Each weekend of the festival delivers a selection of events at different wineries across the region. Expect live music, outstanding local produce and good vibes. Most importantly, sip on cool-climate wines, which are lovingly made in small batches with real wine-stained human hands.
When: 9-31 January, 2026
Where: Various wineries around the Macedon Ranges wine region
Further information: macedonrangeswine.com.au/news-events/events
Maldon Twilight Dinner
Join 600 guests for a glittering evening celebration in Maldon’s historic Main Street. Relax under the stars with a three- or five-course locally-sourced feast, live entertainment, dancing, and a lantern parade. There is also the option to arrive by train with the Victorian Goldfields Railway from Castlemaine, enjoying a glass of bubbles onboard.
When: Saturday 17 January, from 5:30pm
Where: Main Street, Maldon
Further information: maldonfestivals.com
Newstead Live
Newstead Live is a delightful music festival set in the welcoming township of Newstead, on the Loddon River in central Victoria. Taking place over the last weekend in January, the festival will bring together over 40 incredible acts, from roots and blues to contemporary folk. Discover Ado Barker, Geoff Achison, Kate Burke, and many more. Artists perform in live music venues, concert spaces, workshops, impromptu sessions, spoken word performances and open-mic sessions. It’s a music festival for all ages.
When: 23-26 January 2026
Where: Various locations around Newstead
Further information: newsteadlive.com
Lightning & Rhinestones Castlemaine
Castlemaine’s Shedshaker Taproom hosts a one-day alt-country celebration presented by Lighting & Rhinestones. Enjoy live music from Ben Mastwyk & His Millions, Bad Bitch Rodeo, Freya Josephine Hollick, and local favorites Bad Debts, plus MainFM DJ Golden Ash. Join a lively two-step dance class with Honkytonk HQ and No Sleep Till Texas, browse markets for boots, records, and vintage finds, get a flash tattoo, and finish the day with country karaoke.
When: Sunday 25 January 2026, from 3pm to 9pm
Where: Shedshaker Taproom, The Mill, 9 Walker Street, Castlemaine
Further information: events.humanitix.com/lightning-rhinestones-castlemaine
Picnic at Hanging Rock Car Show, Hanging Rock
An event originally run once to allow club members and some friends from other clubs an opportunity to meet for a picnic in the park with their families – it has now become one of – if not the – biggest one day Classic Motoring exhibition days in Victoria with over 2,000 vehicles on display last year at the picturesque Hanging Rock Reserve just outside of Woodend in the Macedon Ranges.
When: Sunday 8 February, 2026 from 8am-3pm
Where: Hanging Rock Reserve, Rock Road, Woodend
More info: https://mradmc.com.au/picnic-at-hanging-rock/
ART EXHIBITIONS
Hanging Rock Winery – Art in The Vines
Wander a trail of discovery, glass-in-hand, through this extraordinary exhibition of contemporary outdoor sculpture at the beautiful Hanging Rock Winery. It features more than 26 artworks from Australia’s most highly acclaimed sculptors and is all set against the Macedon Ranges’ most iconic vista of their vineyard, Hanging Rock and Mount Macedon.
When: Open daily until 30 April, 2026
Where: Hanging Rock Winery, 88 Jim Road, Newham
Further information: hangingrock.com.au/art-vines
Calico Ceilings – Women of the Goldfields, Central Goldfields Art Gallery
Bellarine Peninsula artist Linda Gallus has spent over a year immersed in the Central Goldfields/Djaara landscape, delving into archives and collaborating with historians to uncover forgotten voices. Her latest exhibition, on display at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery in Maryborough, reimagines the lives and stories of women from the gold rush era, bringing history to life through a contemporary lens. This evocative body of work invites visitors to explore resilience, identity, and connection to place, offering a fresh perspective on the region’s rich heritage.
When: On display now until Sunday 8 February. Central Goldfields Art Gallery is open from Thursday to Sunday, from 10am-4pm.
Where: 1 Neill Street, Maryborough
Further information: centralgoldfieldsartgallery.com.au/Calico-Ceilings-Women-of-the-Goldfields-Paintings-by-Linda-Gallus~1646
Buttlejorrk Artist Collective’s Annual Show
Celebrate the festive season with colour, craftsmanship, and creativity at the Buttlejorrk Artist Collective’s much-loved annual exhibition at The Old Auction House in Kyneton. The show brings together a vibrant mix of painting, sculpture, pottery, jewellery, textiles, woodwork, and more – all handcrafted by talented local artists. The exhibition offers a chance to acquire distinctive, locally crafted pieces, each telling its own story and grounded in the creative energy of the Macedon Ranges.
When: On display now until Wednesday 24 December. Open seven days a week, from 10am-4pm
Where: The Old Auction House, 52–56 Mollison St, Kyneton
Further information:
visitmacedonranges.com/events/buttlejorrk-artist-collectives-annual-exhibition