After attracting a bumper crowd in 2023, the nation’s longest running culinary festival returns to South Australia in 2024 over 10 delicious days.


For the first time, the festival will bring visitors from interstate direct to regional South Australia, with a charter plane flying from Melbourne direct to Naracoorte in the Limestone Coast as part of a new Tasting Australia Airlines experience.


It is one of the more than 150 events across the state which will showcase the best of South Australian food and beverage from May 3-12.


Launched last week, the 2024 Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel program serves up a reimagined Town Square, a 10-hour day trip from Melbourne to Adelaide with curated experiences on board The Ghan through a collaboration with Journey Beyond, and a drinks program featuring special bottles and one-of-a-kind tastings.


International chefs Asma Khan (UK), Claudette Zepeda (US) and James Henry (France) will feature across the festival, alongside a national and local lineup including Matt Moran, Julia Busuttil Nishimura, Justin James and Jake Kellie.


The program has been curated by some of South Australia’s best chefs and hospitality icons, including Festival Director Karena Armstrong (The Salopian Inn), Food Curator Kane Pollard (Topiary and PLACE Dining), Drinks Curators Meira Harel and Banjo Harris Plane (Good Pair Days), and festival Patron Simon Bryant.


A range of immersive events will feature in the program including a sailing adventure along the Kangaroo Island coastline, a collaboration dinner featuring former colleagues Ben Williamson (Agnes, Brisbane) and head chef of city hotspot Kiin Ben Bertei, a wine tasting and screening of movie Sideways at Piccadilly North Adelaide, and a foraging experience in the Coorong National Park at the Coorong Long Lunch: Kuti Shack x The Joinery x Pipi Co.


One of the key local events will be Tasting Australia Airlines, where participants can choose to fly direct to the Limestone Coast from either Adelaide or Melbourne for an overnight adventure featuring Mark Best, Tony Carroll, Kirby Shearing, Clare Falzon and Paul Stone.


In 2023, Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel saw more than 68,000 people visit the CBD hub, Town Square, in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga across the 10 days.


The 2024 Tasting Australia will continue South Australia’s calendar of blockbuster major events, closely following both the AFL Gather Round and LIV Golf Adelaide next April.