Barossa Vintage Festival Launch 2021. Photo by Rebekah Rosenzweig.
Yes, the Barossa Vintage Festival program for 2021 is now online! It was a delight to be able to attend the launch on Thursday evening, December 10, 2020 as a Barossa Young Ambassador.
The above graphic has been designed by Greg Hamilton of Gthink studio & design. He has done an amazing job of the brand to promote Barossa Vintage Festival 2021.
Visit https://www.barossavintagefestival.com.au/program/2021-program-download to download the program. Ticket sales are now open!
There are 75+ plus events, so jump on the Barossa Vintage Festival website and start planning. There's food and wine events, with winery experiences and lunches, heritage and community events and art events.
There's something for everyone!
The favourites are back once again, with the Festival Parade, the Ziegenmarkt, the Scarecrow Trail and the Vintage Festival Ball along with many other events, including some new ones.
Here are just a few events to get you started.
1. The Festival Parade - Tanunda to Nuriootpa - Saturday, 17 April, 2020, 10am to 1pm
The 2019 Parade. Photo by Rebekah Rosenzweig.
It’s not the Barossa Vintage Festival without the Parade! A long-standing Festival tradition, since 1948 the Vintage Festival Parade is a veritable show-stopper guaranteed to entertain, amuse and delight. All the fanfare, colour and excitement of the Parade makes it one of the most popular and highly anticipated events of the Festival program.
Celebrate the creativity and community spirit of the Barossa and join the locals kerbside to watch the parade procession as it travels along Barossa Valley Way from Tanunda to Coulthard House, Nuriootpa.
Pack a picnic and enjoy a fun-family day out with loads of entertainment for the young, and the young at heart.
Registrations for floats are now open. Visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTLiap-7lt6INVDOZ8Vh0bsxb1HYRNDrYn2g_xrbWft_zdVA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1y4jRvCrHGmxLKIQ3gHdKJxghutDeQBjh8KVoccgh6ezeXPg3UCR26VFM
Photographed and created by Rebekah Rosenzweig of the 2019 Parade.
2. The Ziegenmarkt - Thursday, April 15, 2021 - Goat Square, Tanunda, 8 - 11am
Ziegenmarkt 2019. Photo by Rebekah Rosenzweig.
Step back in time to a bygone era and get lost in the atmosphere of this bustling live market. Literally meaning ‘goat market’, Ziegenmarkt first appeared in Tanunda during the mid 1800’s and is brought back to life every two years for the Vintage Festival.
Immerse yourself in the heritage of Barossa’s old-world live auction; bid for fresh produce, preserves, pickles and smallgoods; taste the local fare and soak up the excitement and atmosphere of Ziegenmarkt.
Treat yourself to a Barossa breakfast, with an abundance of wine, food, fresh and ready-to-eat produce including traditional Barossa rote grütze.
A fun, free family friendly event with entertainment the whole family will enjoy.
The atmosphere is amazing - it is an event not to be missed.
Auctioning off goods, Ziegenmarkt 2019. Photo by Rebekah Rosenzweig.
Here's a little bit of history - The first Ziegenmarkt was held in 1979.
Photographed and created by Rebekah Rosenzweig of the 2019 Ziegenmarkt.
3. The Scarecrow Trail - March - April, every day, all day - A self-guided tour around the Barossa
Photo: Rebekah Rosenzweig
Appearing like magic from March 2021, you'll find them around every corner, adorning shop fronts, strewn in vineyards and gardens, draped in paddocks and cellar doors - its a scarecrow invasion!
Now synonymous with the Vintage Festival, these handcrafted treasures have been brought to life through the imagination of local children, families, schools, wineries and businesses.
Jump in the car or hop on your bike, follow the Scarecrow Trail and witness the invasion for yourself. Don't forget to vote for your favourite scarecrow and go into the free draw to win some great prizes.
The Scarecrows were introduced to the festival as a competition since 1995.
Photographed and created by Rebekah Rosenzweig of the 2019 Scarecrow Trail.
4. The Vintage Festival Garden, Tanunda Town Square
Vintage Lounge and Festival Hub 2019. Photo: Rebekah Rosenzweig
Kick off your Festival celebrations at the Barossa Visitor Centre Vintage Festival Garden and discover the unexpected Barossa.
The Barossa Visitor Centre will come alive during the Festival week with pop up wine bar, artisan workshops, lawn games, picnic packs, Barossa Made Market and live music.
Find out what to do, where to go, and who to see while you sit back and relax, enjoying the vintage vibe all with a glass of wine in hand!
Our knowledgeable local staff can answer all your questions, as well as book your accommodation, transport, experiences and event tickets.
5. Barossa Vintage Festival Ball - Seppeltsfield - Saturday, April 17 @7pm till late
The first Vintage Festival Ball in 1947. Photo: Barossa Vintage Festival Archives.
The much loved Vintage Festival Ball will again by hosted by Seppeltsfield Estate, in their historic 1920s Vintage Cellar.
A two-part celebration – the first of which is where guests will join in a rousing round of applause as the winners of the 2021 Young Ambassadors for the Barossa are announced. These eleven young adults will have the honour of promoting the Barossa and the Barossa Vintage Festival.
The winners announcement will be followed by a black-tie ball, where dinner will be served by Events Chef, Owen Andrews, to complement the award-winning range of Seppeltsfield Wines.
Tickets now available - book early so not to miss out at https://www.barossavintagefestival.com.au/ticketing?/event/barossa-vintage-festival-ball/f789309d-6100-4747-9545-2ea00260f3a9/
Some History on the beginnings of the Barossa Vintage Festival:
The Vintage Ball was the first event which was held and began the Barossa Vintage Festival. The history is interesting:
The late, Mr Hilton Mervyn “Bill” Seppelt is the founder of the Barossa Vintage Festival, with the idea coming from a trip he made in 1936 to France. It was here where he saw a wine festival being held in Colmar in the province of Alsac, in France, while undertaking study in oenology (the science and study of wine and winemaking) in Europe.
It was only in 1947 that the first Barossa Vintage Festival event was held, due to the occurrence of World War II. The first festival comprised of a single event, a gala ball held in Nuriootpa, to celebrate the vintage harvest and to bring the community together again after World War II.
The Thursday, May 6, 1947 edition of “The Leader” newspaper reported an attendance of 1,000 at the Vintage Festival Ball. Profits from the ball went to local RSL branches. The event was sponsored by the district Tourist Bureau with the help of major district wineries. Dancing continued until 2:45am the following morning.
Following a successful event, in January 1948, it was moved ‘that a Vintage Festival committee be formed.’ On this committee were the late Mr Hilton Mervyn “Bill” Seppelt, Mr. Colin Gramp and Mr Martin Dallwitz.
The festival was held each year from 1947 to 1954, excluding the year of 1952 when King George VI died, and therefore the festival was cancelled. No festivals were held from 1955 to 1957, due to a lack of enthusiasm. Once the committee got together again they decided to hold the festival every four years; a festival was held in 1958 and 1961. However, since 1961 the Barossa Vintage Festival has been held bi-annually to alternate with the Adelaide Arts Festival.
In 2021 the 38th festival is planned to be held with 74 years of history accumulated since the original initial event!
(Compiled by Rebekah Rosenzweig.) Visit https://www.facebook.com/BVFHistory to learn some more history. This is a page that has been created by myself to assist in my personal project as part of the Barossa Young Ambassador program.
6. Barossa Vintage Reflections - Nuriootpa Library - 14 - 17 April, 2020
Barossa Vintage Festival Memorabilia Exhibition 2019. Photo: Rebekah Rosenzweig
Enthusiasm and passion underlie the origins of the Barossa Vintage Festival. Join us to view photographs from the Barossa Vintage Festival Archive.
Look for family and friends and see celebrities of past times. Taken from different eras these photographs
underscore the heritage and community spirit embedded in the Festival.
See the enjoyment, fun and celebrations reflecting the hard work and stamina of our Festival community. You may be able to assist us preserve the history of the Festival by identifying people in the photographs.
7. Photographica – Vintage Festival Memories - Tanunda
Who has been captured through the camera lens? Explore the community memories along the family friendly night trail of photographs and films from the Barossa Vintage Festival, as they transform
the windows and walls of Murray Street, Tanunda. View the images projected from the Vintage Festival Collection and celebrate the fun and frivolity of past Vintage Festivals, from queens to ambassadors, festival balls, wine, parades and town events. Follow the trail from the Visitor Centre to bring back memories from this retro look at the community story of the Barossa Vintage Festival.
Both events numbered 6 and 7 are new events, and personally, I am looking forward to checking them out.
The 1948 Daughter of Bacchus - Vintage Queen, Joan Hoffmann. Photo: Barossa Vintage Festival Archives
None of this historical event would be possible without Festival Director, Jenny O'Brien and the My Barossa team, sponsors and the wider Barossa community.
So, come along and join the Barossa community for 5 days of celebration.
See you around then!
Rebekah Rosenzweig.
2021 Barossa Young Ambassador