Footy fans enjoy a taste of our wine regions

7 May, 2025
The SA Wine Industry Association was thrilled to once again present the South Australian Wine Producers Bar at this year’s Norwood Food and Wine Festival, which drew an incredible crowd of over 90,000 people. It was the ultimate celebration of our state’s winemaking excellence—giving festivalgoers a chance to experience the diversity and quality of South Australia’s wine regions firsthand.

With 14 winemakers pouring throughout the day, patrons enjoyed an exclusive meet-the-maker experience, adding a personal touch to their tastings. Each one sported an Adelaide, Great Wine Capital branded apron to showcase our state’s membership in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, which benchmarks South Australia against the best wine regions around the world.

Held on The Parade, the festival showcased more than 50 local traders, pop-up bars, wineries, and distilleries, alongside vibrant live entertainment, headlined by Birds of Tokyo.

The AFL Gather Round 2025 once again delivered a huge result for South Australia, with 269,506 fans attending nine AFL matches across the state. The Footy Festival drew in 118,543 visitors over the four days which was a 17% increase on 2024. Hotel occupancy was at 93% over the weekend, up on last year's 87% average which generated an impressive $4.8 million in tourism revenue just on the Friday night.

Adding to the activities, the South Australian Tourism Commission launched its Simple Pleasures campaign in the same week, further celebrating the unique experiences and attractions our state has to offer. View the campaign here.

A heartfelt thank you to the South Australian Tourism Commission, City of Norwood and St Peters, and all the event organisers who brought the Norwood Food & Wine Festival to life.

View the gallery and video online.

Text: SA Wine Industry Association
Photo credit: Ben Macmahon Photography