- Taste Great Southern 2026 kicks off in Western Australia's Great Southern region
- Premier culinary event expected to attract thousands of visitors to Great Southern and boost local economy
- Festival to run during Albany's Bicentenary commemorations
- Part of Cook Government's economic diversification strategy to generate valuable tourism dollars for local business and jobs
The Great Southern region is set to welcome a wave of visitors as Taste Great Southern 2026 begins, serving up four days of indulgent food, wine and cultural experiences.
Now in its 22nd year, Taste Great Southern is the region's flagship food and wine festival, taking place across Albany, Denmark, the Porongurups and surrounding areas. The event is proudly supported by the Cook Government through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program.
Guided by the event's theme of 'Wander with the Wild', the 2026 festival celebrates the Great Southern's local chefs and venues, premium produce, rich cultural heritage and rugged natural beauty, with more than 20 curated events offered across the coming four days.
The festival will feature a line-up of world-class chefs and a packed schedule of events including long-table lunches, wine-pairing masterclasses, produce markets, and cultural dining experiences including a gourmet hike, offering visitors a deeper connection to Country.
Taste Great Southern forms part of the Cook Government's events strategy to diversify the State's economy and is expected to attract over a thousand visitors to the region, generating valuable tourism spend for local businesses and supporting jobs.
The festival adds to a broader calendar of events taking place in the Great Southern this year, including the Australian-exclusive Lighting the Sound landscape illumination event, which forms part of Albany's Bicentenary commemorations for 2026.
The full program and remaining tickets are available at tastegreatsouthern.com.au
As stated by Tourism and Great Southern Minister Reece Whitby:
"Taste Great Southern has become a much-loved fixture on Western Australia's events calendar, and its 22nd year is a testament to the excellence of the region's producers, chefs and communities.
"It's a fantastic time to visit the region and 'Wander with the Wild', where visitors are encouraged to slow down, explore further and experience the Great Southern through its flavours, landscapes and stories.
"It all forms part of our government's economic diversification strategy to grow tourism and local jobs, and generate valuable visitor spend for local businesses."
As stated by Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The Great Southern region hasa strong reputationfor itshigh qualityproduceandwine andTaste Great Southern is afantasticcelebration of this.
"The Cook Government is proud to be promotingjobs in our regional communities through events like Taste Great Southern.
"Through the Regional Events Program, we are bolstering ourreputationas a State that hosts unique regional events."
Comments attributed to Samantha Rowe MLC:
"Taste Great Southern is one of the true highlights of our region and a celebration of everything that makes the Great Southern special.
"The dedication of our producers, chefs and artisans comes through in every event, and it's wonderful to see visitors embracing it year after year.
"With the Albany Bicentenary celebrations underway, there is no better time to come and experience what Albany and the Great Southern has to offer."
