Unwind this long weekend with chocolate, wine and bottomless brunches as springtime festivals kick off around South Australia.

Collated by Elisabeth Marie

Celebrating Cabernet

Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations will be kicking off on Friday, October 1 for another month of wine-related festivities. The springtime celebrations offer more than 60 unique food and wine experiences designed to showcase Coonawarra’s signature grape variety: cabernet sauvignon. Over the long weekend, you’re invited to hit the Coonawarra Wineries Walking Trail, play a round on the greens at the Penola Golf course, taste the region with long lunches and join intimate workshops to create your own blend.

Bottomless brunching

Starting at 9am, spend Sunday, October 3 indulging in the Bottomless Hurtle Brunch at O’Leary Walker Wines. Soak up the Clare Valley sunshine and enjoy a hand-crafted two-course brunch accompanied by free-flowing Hurtle Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir and DIY mimosa stations. Mingle your morning away to great music from a live DJ and brunch to your heart’s content.

FruChoc-oholics

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of FruChoc Appreciation Day, local restaurant Seafire on the Marina will be collaborating with the iconic South Australian treat to unveil a range of FruChoc-inspired dishes for chocolate-lovers to enjoy. From Friday, October 1 to Sunday, October 3 you’ll be able to taste a unique FruChoc dry-aged flavoured striploin steak, injected with apricot syrup, coated in chocolate and served with an apricot jus. Made especially to accompany the dish, a FruChoc Martini and FruChoc inspired dessert will also be appearing on the menu.

Kids camping out

Grab the family, some friends or the whole crew to camp for a cause from Saturday, October 2 to Monday, October 4. The Time For Kids Camp Out program is run by Relationships Australia SA as a fundraiser to provide experiences, opportunities and networks to support isolated children in South Australia. Pick up your guidebook and set up a tent in the living room, backyard or travel around the state to tackle daily missions and fun activities, all while raising funds to enrich the lives of Australian kids.

Homegrown musical masters

Nominations are now open for the 2021 South Australian Music Awards. The awards celebrate the accomplishments and emergence of homegrown musical talent over the past 12 months. Winners will be announced on Thursday, November 18 and tickets for the gala event are on sale now.

Rev your engines

Get your motors running and enjoy the thrill of the ride as eight Adelaide motorcycle clubs host the Festival of Motorcycling from Sunday, October 3 to Saturday, October 9. The festival invites all motorcycle enthusiasts to enjoy a week of rides and events across South Australia. The festival offers displays of veteran and vintage bikes, organised rides in the beautiful wine regions and a thrilling day on the tracks at Mallala Motorsport Park.

New Cellar Door

Patritti Wines’ new suburban cellar door opens this long weekend. Cellar II officially opens to the public on Friday the 1st October, with food trucks and live music throughout the long weekend. Cellar II was once a fermentation cellar, and still functions as a working cellar, complete with nine huge American oak vats maturing fortified wines. The adjacent outside area has been transformed into a spectacular “wine garden” where visitors can enjoy a glass of wine with an authentic Italian antipasto platter. (Bookings online for tasting flights are strongly encouraged.)

Knight by candlelight

Sinclair Gully Winery will be hosting Adelaide’s own Emma Knights in a unique outdoor music experience on Sunday, October 3. Set against the majestic candlebark gums of Sinclair’s Gully, the evening will showcase beautiful piano music under the stars. Pre-performance drinks will be served at the cellar door, with guests then being invited to enjoy a picnic and sparkling wine under the moon as the piano begins to play.

Living sustainably

The first ever Uraidla Sustainability Market is being hosted on Sunday, October 3 at the Uraidla Showgrounds. Soak up the sunshine (hopefully) as you browse stalls of sustainable products from local makers and growers. Keep sustainability at the front of mind as you listen to live music and enjoy local wines and delicious food while celebrating the environment in a community set on making positive change.