Taste the Sunshine from Caloundra and beyond: Food Festivals in 2026

From coastal seafood celebrations to hinterland farm trails, 2026 is the year to eat your way across Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and further afield.

Caloundra has always had a quietly ambitious food scene, but in 2026, it also serves as the perfect gateway to a much larger culinary map. While the local cafés, beachside dining and craft brewery scene are world-class in their own right, this year’s festival calendar invites you to venture further, from the coast to the hinterland and beyond.

Whether you’re a local planning a food-focused weekend or a visitor using Caloundra as your home base, here is the definitive guide to the flavours of 2026.

Local Favourites: Right on Our Doorstep

Caloundra Street Fair

Where: Bulcock Street, Caloundra (under the fig trees)
When: Every Sunday, 8am to 1pm
The vibe: This is Caloundra’s flagship weekly market, run by the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce, and it’s been a local institution for years. Over 150 stalls line Bulcock Street from the fig trees all the way down, with local food vendors, gourmet street food, artisan producers and live street musicians setting the mood. It’s not a one-off event. It’s a ritual. If you’re visiting on a Sunday, build your morning around it: browse first, eat second, coffee third.

Caloundra Twilight Markets

Where: The Esplanade, Bulcock Beach
When: Last Friday of each month, 5pm to 9pm (excluding June and July for a winter break)
The vibe: More than 70 stalls pop up along the Esplanade as the sun sets over the Passage. Gourmet food trucks, artisan stalls, live acoustic music and a family-friendly atmosphere make this the perfect way to kick off a weekend. The salt air meets the smell of woodfired pizza and satay skewers, kids are running on the grass, and for a couple of hours the whole esplanade becomes a proper community gathering. It’s free to attend, and the surrounding restaurants and shops on the Esplanade stay open for late-night trading on market nights.

The Curated Plate: Sunshine Coast Food and Drink Festival

When: 24 July to 2 August 2026
Where: Various locations across the Sunshine Coast (including Caloundra, the hinterland and surrounds)
The vibe: This is the big one for the region. After a record-breaking 2025 that drew over 10,000 attendees (a 45% increase on the previous year), The Curated Plate returns for a 10-day celebration of the Sunshine Coast’s natural larder. Festival Culinary Director Peter Kuruvita (currently Head Judge on MasterChef Sri Lanka) is back at the helm, and the 2026 programme is the most ambitious yet.
The opening event, Island Fire, takes place at Alsahwa Estate in Palmwoods on Friday 24 July, where Kuruvita will collaborate with Head Chef Mal Meiers for a Sri Lankan-inspired cultural dining experience for 150 guests. From there, the programme spans paddock-to-plate feasts, seafood celebrations, farm tours, family-friendly events and beachside cooking experiences right across the Sunshine Coast Biosphere. New for 2026 is the Kenilworth Ember and Harvest Weekend (24 to 26 July), a three-day event in the hinterland featuring a hoedown, a campfire dining experience under the stars and a Gather and Graze brunch at Kenilworth Dairies. The 2025 highlights included Mooloolaba Seafood Market Day, the Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival, Queensland’s Sunshine Pantry Twilight Markets, and Picnic on Kings featuring Bluey. Expect similar scale in 2026. The festival is delivered in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council, Visit Sunshine Coast and Tourism and Events Queensland.
Insider tip: Tickets for signature events sell out months in advance. Subscribe to thecuratedplate.com.au for early access.

Coastal Elegance: Worth the Drive

Noosa Food and Wine Festival

When: 11 to 14 June 2026
Where: Noosa (approximately 45 minutes north of Caloundra)
The vibe: The festival has returned to its original and iconic name after trading as “Noosa Eat and Drink” for several years, and the 2026 programme is being described as the most ambitious yet. Four days of world-class cuisine, premium wines and beachside dining, structured across three distinct programmes.
The American Express Festival Village (Saturday 13 June) is the main hub with 40+ bars and restaurant pop-ups, live cooking demonstrations, DJs and entertainment. Seven Signature Events include the Official Opening Party on Noosa Main Beach with Guy Grossi and Warren Mendes, the Makepeace Island Experience limited to just 40 guests on Sir Richard Branson’s private island via river cruise, and the beloved Italian Long Lunch. The Restaurant Series features almost 20 of the region’s finest dining destinations.
The chef lineup reads like a who’s who of Australian hospitality: Guy Grossi, George Calombaris, Marion Grasby, Matt Golinski, Louis Tikaram, Darren Robertson (Three Blue Ducks), and many more. The festival generates over $5 million in economic benefits for the state.
Insider tip: If you’re based in Caloundra, Noosa is a comfortable 45-minute drive north. Book accommodation early if you plan to stay up there, or drive up for a single day pass to the Festival Village. Tickets sell fast.

Hinterland and Regional

GourMay Mary Valley Food Festival

When: 1 to 31 May 2026
Where: Various locations across the Mary Valley, centred around the villages of Imbil, Amamoor and Kandanga (approximately 1.5 hours from Caloundra)
The vibe: This is the Mary Valley’s month-long love letter to its local food scene. The region sits amongst rolling hills, 45 minutes inland from Noosa, and it’s one of the country’s great food bowls where fertile soil and microclimates allow for an extraordinary range of produce. GourMay celebrates the farmers, producers and creators who bring that food to the table, with a full month of farm tours, open days, cooking competitions, sunrise breakfasts, long lunches, camp oven feasts and degustation dinners.
Key highlights for 2026: Festival Day and Big Picnic in Imbil on Sunday 3 May (free entry, featuring chef Matt Golinski and Sunshine Coast Foodie Martin Duncan), the curated Mary Valley Farm Trail on Saturday 16 May, and the Gala Celebration on Saturday 30 May. The evening walk and dinner at Bellbird Park returns, the Sunrise Breakfast at Avocado Tree Farm at John Tidy’s Organics in Amamoor is expected to sell out fast, and the Lake Borumba fishing competition (with a cook-up of the day’s catch) may also make a comeback. GourMay has built a strong partnership with Slow Food Noosa, and the whole programme is grounded in authenticity. This isn’t a corporate food festival. It’s a community one.

Goomeri Pumpkin Festival

When: 29 to 31 May 2026
Where: Goomeri (approximately 2 hours from Caloundra)
The vibe: Quirky, high-energy and delicious. The Pumpkin Roll down the hill is the headline act, the Pumpkin Olympics are a genuine crowd-pleaser, and the festival grounds are packed with stalls selling pumpkin-themed treats, community-made preserves, and local produce. It’s a proper family day out with a distinctly Queensland sense of humour. If you’re in the Mary Valley for GourMay, Goomeri is only an hour further and the timing overlaps perfectly.

Insider Tips for Festival-Goers

Book early. For the Noosa Food and Wine Festival Signature Events and The Curated Plate’s headline experiences, tickets often sell out months in advance. Subscribe to official festival mailing lists for early access.
Travel times. Queensland is vast. Noosa is 45 minutes from Caloundra. The Mary Valley is about 1.5 hours. Goomeri is about 2 hours. For anything beyond the Sunshine Coast, plan for an early start or an overnight stay.
Family-friendly. Goomeri, GourMay’s Festival Day at Imbil, and The Curated Plate’s beachside and family-focused events are all genuinely great for kids. The Caloundra Street Fair on Sundays is also a natural family outing.
Bring an esky. From hinterland cheeses to Sunshine Coast craft beer, you’ll want plenty of space to bring home your finds.

Why Festivals Matter in Caloundra

These events are more than just a meal. They’re a window into the Coast’s identity. When you buy a jar of honey in the hinterland or a bucket of prawns at the Street Fair, you’re supporting the families and small operators that keep the Sunshine Coast vibrant. And when you sit down at a long table in the Mary Valley or a beachside cooking demo during The Curated Plate, you’re connecting with a food culture that’s as genuine as it gets.

Mark your diaries. It’s time to taste the best of the Coast and beyond.

Start planning your Caloundra food trail now – explore the Taste of Caloundra dining directory and interactive map to discover what’s on your next plate. Have a favourite Caloundra dining spot we should know about? Get in touch, we’re always hungry for recommendations!