Voted the top Australian tourist town for 2 years running (2021 and 2022) it’s no coincidence Mudgee is one of the best regional NSW towns to visit with friends and family. Not only there are over 40 cellar doors, great food and produce, the many major events for all walks of life young and old on the Mudgee annual events calendar are historic and spectacular. When events are on, Mudgee is buzzing! Just another reason why you should visit this very special place! Below is the most comprehensive Mudgee events list online to help you get the most out of your Mudgee visit. Save the date! For more information on all Mudgee activities for families and adults, best restaurants, bars and cafes to get the best coffee voted by polling Mudgee residence, please also visit ‘Discover‘ on our website. We hope to see you in Mudgee soon!
What’s on this week?
Gulgong Folk Festival (January)
The Gulgong Folk Festival has been running for over 30 years in the town of Gulgong. This annual music festival features local and national folk acts, and is held in the January. The best traditional country town folk festival around! Gulgong, steeped in history and folk tradition, will come alive to the sound of music, poetry, trad sessions, friendships and fun. Musicians, singers, poets, troubadours, folkies, yarners of any age all welcome. www.gulgongfolkfestival.com
Charity Shield Rabitohs Vs Dragons (February)
The National Rugby League’s Charity Shield match is an annual pre-season game between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and St. George Illawarra Dragons played before the start of the Premiership regular season. It has been regarded as the unofficial start to the National Rugby League (NRL) season and has been in operation since 1982, with the exception of 2000 and 2001 when Souths were omitted from the NRL. www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au
Rylstone-Kandos Show (February)
The Rylstone-Kandos Show is a highlight on the New South Wales agricultural show calendar. Held at the picturesque Rylstone Show ground, a natural amphitheater on the banks of the Cudgegong River, the Show is an opportunity for the community to meet, enjoy and celebrate the excellent agricultural produce, talent, animal husbandry, cooking, crafts, rodeo, fireworks, wood chopping, equestrian events, mounted games, artistry skills and live entertainment that underpin the emerging & thriving Rylstone-Kandos community. www.rylstonekandosshowsociety.com
Central Districts New Haven Park Country Championships (February)
Launched in 2015, it’s time to dress to impress at the Country Championships. Created to support and promote NSW racing in country areas, ensuring that horses from across the state are part of The Championships in Sydney in the autumn. The Newhaven Park Country Championships consists of a series of seven races, each held at a club representing one racing region in NSW. Each race will be worth $150,000 in prize money and will be contested by eligible horses that must be under the care of a country trainer in that region. www.thechampionships.com.au
Mudgee Craft Beer and Cider Festival (March)
Grab some friends and spend an enjoyable afternoon meeting the brewers of some of Australia’s most loved craft breweries! Relax out on the green at Club Mudgee, enjoy tastings, entertainment and food while the sun goes down. Established in 2019, the Mudgee Craft Beer & Cider Festival is a community event hosting several craft breweries offering tastings and meet the brewer experiences. Enjoy live music by local band Dan and Dan and delicious food. Relax on the green, sample some brews and enjoy tasty food with great local music. Courtesy bus will be operating for pickups and drop offs.. $20 + $1 booking fee – Entry + 5 tasting tokens, $30 + $1 booking fee – Entry + 10 tasting tokens, $35 + $1 booking fee – VIP Package (Entry, 10 tokens, Barefoot bowls). All packages include a commemorative glass. www.clubmudgee.com.au
Mudgee Show (March)
The Mudgee District Show features livestock competitions, equestrian events, show jumping and showgirl competitions and a variety of other entertainment and activities for the whole family. The Mudgee Show traces its beginnings to 1846 when the first show was held at the site of today’s Robertson Park in the township of Mudgee. The Mudgee Show Society is a volunteer organisation dedicated to keeping the tradition of country agricultural shows alive by providing the community with an outlet to display and view the stock, crafts and produce of the district on a truly local family entertainment day. The Mudgee Show today reflects the revival of interest in the country lifestyle, particularly the diverse variety of country lifestyles and occupations available in the Mudgee region. The Mudgee Show is our district on exhibition. It promotes not only the fine produce from the area, the talent of local craftspeople, and the expertise of local animal husbandry; the Mudgee Show shows off the people of Mudgee and surrounding region to their greatest advantage. The number of visitors to the Mudgee Show is usually in excess of 6000. The Mudgee Show Society places a strong emphasis on education with loads of hand-on activities and experiences for the children and youth in our community, and by encouraging interaction with the local high school in relation to Arts & Crafts as well as Agriculture, Design, and Food Technology. www.mudgeeshow.net
Putta Bucca Carp Muster (March)
A free event for all ages and fishing abilities, come along and have some fun at the annual carp muster! Registration is FREE, with registrations to be made in person on the day. Enjoy a free sausage sizzle from 11.30am. Prizes will be presented in the following categories:, Junior under 12 yrs, junior 13-18 yrs, adult male, adult female, most fish caught and smallest fish. There also is a lucky door prize! Entrants over 18 years must have a fishing license and comply with the NSW fishing rules. License or receipt of license must be presented upon entry. All native fish caught on the day must be released. www.midwestern.nsw.gov.au
Can Cruise Rally Fundraiser (March)
Cudgegong Cruisers Inc. with the assistance of volunteers from Can Assist – Mudgee & Districts Branch hold the annual “Can Cruise” event – a major fundraiser in March each year. Can Cruise is a one-day car and motor-bike rally, commencing from Mudgee Show Ground from 8.00am, travelling through Mudgee CBD around 10.30am, before continuing on a road cruise through the region. Bring along any mode of transport and support this incredible charity – entrant fees apply. BYO lunch. www.cudgegongcruisers.com.au
Mudgee Wings Wheels and Wine (April)
Every year the Mudgee Wings Wheels and Wine show gets bigger and better! Including a jam-packed airshow, a stack of tyre shredding vehicles, and possibly the odd motorbike backflipping over a high speed aerobatic plane. And of course, it wouldn’t be Wings, Wheels & Wine without some of Mudgee’s premier wineries coming along to help you quench your thirst! There are always a huge variety of impressive aircraft putting on a jaw-dropping spectacle in the skies above Mudgee Airport. For the wine connoisseurs, the best local wineries will be participating to give tasting and sales of their finest wines and finally for the motor enthusiast and petrol heads there will be a display of all types of interesting veteran to vintage and classic vehicles. www.wingswheelsandwine.com.au
BULL-A-RAMA (April)
Bull-a-rama was the 2019 Mid-Western Regional Council event of the year with good reason – high energy and high excitement. Held at the picturesque Rylstone Show Ground, the natural amphitheater transforms into a cauldron of Man v Bull. www.rylstonekandosshowsociety.com
Mudgee Classic Bike Race (May)
Set in New South Wales’ beautiful Mudgee wine region, the Mudgee Classic will surely be a bike ride to remember. Catering for all levels of cycling ability, the event offers four courses: 175km Maxi Classic, 125km Challenge Classic, 65km Rouleurs Classic, 55km Dirty Mudgee and the 35km Social Classic. www.cyclingclassics.com.au
MudgeeQue BBQ Festival (June)
MudgeeQue is held on the first Saturday of winter. The popular Barbeque and Smoked Meats Festival is now a regularly featured on Mudgee’s annual events calendar. Sparking the interest of Low ‘n’ Slow Barbeque, Craft Beer, Spirit and Wine lovers, the cool, crisp country air will be filled with the sizzling aromas of slow-cooked and smoked meats. With live music, local meats and produce, this is sure to be a mouth water event. www.mudgeeque.com.au
Mudgee Small Farm Field Days (July)
This event is a showcase of small-scale farming and rural living, with exhibits, demonstrations, and workshops on topics such as sustainable agriculture and backyard farming. The Mudgee Small Farm Field Days is a two-day, annual event that has been running for over 40 years and attracts approximately 20,000 people per year. The event aims to promote innovation and sustainability in agriculture and rural living. Their mission is to inform, educate and connect rural people with information and solution providers. MSFFD is Mudgee’s largest annual event and contributes millions of dollars into the local economy. There are free demonstrations and talks along with commercial stalls, live music and activities to suit the whole family. www.mudgeefielddays.com.au
Mudgee Running Festival (August)
This festival is a series of running events that takes place in the beautiful Mudgee region, including a half marathon, 10k, and 5k race. The Mudgee Running Festival is well known for its relaxed, friendly atmosphere – perfect for the first-timer who is looking for a no-pressure race, yet still, a course that is challenging to the experienced marathoner. The longer courses weave through the picturesque Mudgee valley; past vineyards, wineries, farmland, grazing cattle, and a band of friendly and enthusiastic volunteers cheering you on! And the shorter events run alongside the Cudgegong River and around Lawson Park. The festival is a fun, family event with a great supportive atmosphere. There will be a massage service for competitors, food & drinks, and very importantly, great coffee. www.mudgeerunningfestival.com.au
Mudgee Wine & Food Festival (September)
This festival features tastings of local wines and foods, as well as live music and cooking demonstrations. An unforgettable wine and food experience, Mudgee’s annual wine and food month festival started as a week-long celebration of the wine industry. Over 40 years later, the event is now one of New South Wales’ longest running wine and food festivals and features a diverse range of events including tastings, trivia, dinners and more. While there are many signature events of the month-long celebration, each participating winery will generally offer their own unique experience, ranging from food and wine pairing, special tastings, platters, and tasting flight. www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au
Mudgee Readers’ Festival (September)
This annual festival celebrates the written word, with author talks, book clubs, and writing workshops. The Mudgee Readers’ Festival has been running for eleven years, a huge achievement for a festival created by a small team of passionate readers, with the first modest events held in Lawson Park. Over the years the Festival has gone from strength to strength, with an exciting line-up of events across our gorgeous town, including MRF Book Club and bibliotherapy sessions, storytelling events, book and wine matching and, of course, our Long Lazy Lunch. The Mudgee Readers’ Festival prides itself on presenting dynamic, fun and thought-provoking events. The event encourages attendees to be an active part of the Festival: engaging with conversations, creating content and sharing ideas with brilliant writers. www.mudgeereaders.com
Mudgee Open Golf Tournament (September October)
This annual golf tournament is held in October or November and features both professional and amateur players from around the region. www.mudgeegolfclub.com.au
Sculptures in the Garden (October)
Sculptures in the Garden is regional New South Wales’ largest annual outdoor art exhibition. Since 2011, the exhibition has offered artists an opportunity to exhibit their works alongside local, regional, metropolitan, and interstate artists, while also being in the running for a number of acquisition and non-acquisition prizes. Sculptures in the Garden is an exciting event that combines garden design, large scale Australian sculpture and traditional art mediums in beautiful rural surroundings within a private garden and vineyard in Mudgee. The outdoor exhibition runs for 16 days. Sculptures in the Garden has become a hallmark event on the Central West’s artistic calendar and major tourist attraction, showcasing sculptures from emerging and established artists. www.sculpturesinthegarden.com.au
Cox Plate Mudgee (October)
Saturday 28th October should be another fine example of a perfect spring day at the races in Mudgee. Mudgee Race Club is renowned for delivering everything you would expect from any great day at the races, but without the hustle and bustle. Bring the family for a relaxed and fun afternoon or your mates for an exciting day trackside, with the added convenience of free shuttle buses from most of the major pubs in town. Gates open 11.30am – General Admission: $20 0 Undercover Verandah: $40 Please note there will be no auditorium luncheon or Fashions on the Field at this race meeting. Please follow Mudgee Race Club on Facebook and Instagram for the most up to date news, event and transport details. Cost: $15.00 to $75.00. www.mudgeeraceclubinc.com
Mudgee Region Open Gardens (October)
This event allows visitors to explore some of the area’s most beautiful gardens, including private gardens that are not normally open to the public. Spend a weekend in spring visiting six beautifully developed gardens around Mudgee, where the owners will welcome you to share the pleasure and tranquillity of their gardens whilst raising funds for charitable causes. Listen to garden talks and meet the gardeners whilst exploring their stunning surrounds. Plan to take some time on your garden tour to relax and enjoy the garden while resting your feet for a while – indulging in either morning or afternoon tea or a delicious lunch at ‘Wilgowrie’. www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au
Mudgee Region Annual Arts and Craft Christmas Markets (November December)
This festival features a variety of Christmas-themed events and activities, including a Christmas market, carols, and a parade.It’s time to get into the Christmas cheer with Arts & Crafts Mudgee + Mudgee Gulgong Woodworkers at their annual Christmas market! Choose from a variety of unique and homemade crafts available, all locally made and uniquely special. The Art & Crafts Studio is also open with an extensive display of handmade items – jewellery, needlework, knitting, crochet, jams, pickles, paper, cards, oils and paintings. Hosted at the historic railway station, rail enthusiasts will also have the chance to explore the rail history of Mudgee. Let the festive season begin! www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au
