Cabin Fever Festival: 4 Epic Itineraries

Cabin Fever events are often centred around the regions award-winning wineries and breweries, but sometimes you don’t feel like drinking and that doesn’t mean you miss out on any festival fun. Here are some events that include plenty of the indulgence, none of the alcohol.

Start your Saturday off right by learning the art and science of making the perfect cup of coffee at home, from the brew lords at Margaret River Roasting. Trust me, once you taste a properly made cup of Joe, you will be tossing that instant coffee to the curb! It includes a breaky bagel, tour of the roastery and a coffee (of course!), so you will be fuelled for a weekend full of fun in the South West.

Stick around until Tuesday to line up with the locals for the Souped Up Soupie. Enjoy delicious food by local celebrity chef Tony Howell with all proceeds going straight back into funding the Soup Kitchen – a much-loved community hub. I would recommend pre-ordering your meal online in advance to ensure you don’t miss out on a beautiful ceramic bowl made by local artists. They sold out early last year!

Finish your Cabin Fever extravaganza with a decadent five course brunch at Xanadu. Toss your cereal to the side and instead indulge in a gourmet meal, highlighting all the best seasonal produce Margaret River has to offer. This is the breakfast of champions – just select the ‘without wine’ option when purchasing your ticket.

With the recent announcement that the Shire of Augusta Margaret River is WA’s first certified eco destination (and one of only four in the whole of Australia), it is clear the region is dedicated to going green. With that in mind, here’s how to indulge with events that are especially tailored to those looking to be more environmentally-conscious.

Get your green thumb on with a tour and tasting experience at the Burnside Organic garden. Sip a glass of Pet Nat while learning the ins and outs of maintaining a lush, organic garden and vineyard from the pros, the McCall family. After, indulge in a share platter featuring local produce while tasting back vintages of their famous Zinfandel.

Celebrating a 5 year collaboration between farmer and chef, this four course lunch by champions of sustainability Arimia is based around utilising the entire animal, a 50/50 Black Angus/Wagyu, 4 year old, 100% grass-fed local Nillup Steer. Chef Evan Hayter and the Arimia team are well-known for their dedication to ensuring their farm and vineyard have a positive impact on the environment, and this is a true farm to table dining experience centred around a ‘waste not want not’ mentality.

Cap off your eco-itinerary and head to Howard Park Wines to enjoy melted cheesy deliciousness paired with award-winning wines all set in front of a roaring fire. Iconic Dunsborough-based Lady Lola has got the fondue covered and with their tantalising selection of cheeses, cured meats, and sustainably sourced produce, it is sure to be absolutely divine. Pair your cheesy fare with Howard Park’s newly launched range of wines, Arbor Novae. With every bottle sold, Howard Park pledges a $1.50 donation to Carbon Positive Australia. Treat yourself to cheese and wine guilt-free, because both have been produced with our planet in mind.

What better souvenir to bring home from Cabin Fever than some new found knowledge? Learn a thing or two with this itinerary.

Learn to perfect the art of wine and cheese pairing with Lady Lola and Wines of Merritt as your epicurean guides. Start the afternoon with a selection of cheeses each matched with a wine made by Wines of Merritt as well as a carefully selected international wine of the same variety. Following the cheese and wine pairing, enjoy two more courses filled with seasonal produce and wines to match.

If you love book clubs that centre around stimulating conversation and free flowing wine then this event is right up your alley! Brush elbows with authors, Sharron Booth and Linda Bettenay, at a four course lunch from Chef Libby Wyatt of Southwest Cruises, at the beautiful Bettenay’s cellar door overlooking their lake.

Unlock the secrets of terroir through a sensory journey through coffee, chocolate and Cabernet. Discover the intricate art of crafting these earthly delights from industry professionals Alessandro Fucci from Yahava KoffeeWorks, Josh Bahen of Bahen & Co, and sommelier Claire Tonon from Voyager Estate. Finish the evening with a glass of wine and snacks provided by Voyager Estate.

At the end of the day, Cabin Fever is all about filling the cooler nights and rainy days with fun-filled events that will get us off the couch and out of the house. This year’s events that focus on 100% good times with your mates include…

This event is sure to excite any foodie, with canapes inspired by a mashup of Asian street food and classic Aussie seafood, all paired with wines by local legends LS Merchants. Look out for their absolutely delicious 2021 Chenin Blanc! As well as serving up some tasty wines Dylan Arvidson, LS Merchant owner and winemaker, will be serving up some fresh beats to bop your  head to.

Keen for a rambunctious night of beer, food and music? Bring some friends along to Shelter to sing your heart out to some Aussie pub classics led by a local band and conductor, drinks and canapes included. Singing skills are absolutely not required, enthusiasm is compulsory.

Think pub quiz but entirely focused on wine! Blind taste wines from all over the world and work as a team to guess what they are through a series of multiple choice questions. Not only is this event a banger of a night but you are guaranteed to try a wine you have never tasted before!

Note: the Friday night session is all but sold out, so you best move quickly to snap up tickets for Thursday! 

All good things must come to an end, even Cabin Fever, but it is all about going out in a blaze of glory. Join the locals as they dance the night away at the Brewhouse on Sunday July 24th for the Cabin Fever Closer. Sip on a special release beer inspired by Mexican Hot Chocolate, snack on Brewhouse classics, and soak in the ambiance complete with live music and Jarrah trees illuminated by festoon lights. Here is proof that not all endings have to be a bummer!