Brewers, bands, bites, banter and a ceremonial burning are the foundation of the second annual DARKER DAYS festival in Bright this winter.

Centred around dark beers produced by the brewers of Victoria’s High Country, DARKER DAYS is a showcase of local produce and activities that celebrate winter in Victoria’s Alpine valleys.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, this family friendly festival will bring together local producers, operators, entertainers, beer lovers and families to toast the season and welcome the return of lighter days following the Winter Solstice.

Additional brewers this year include Social Bandit, Rutherglen Brewery and King River Brewing, as well as guest dark beers from Malt Shed, Two Pot and Wrong Side breweries. More exciting additions to this year’s festival include Backwoods Distilling Co, the new whisky producers from nearby Yackandandah, and the crew from Beechworth’s Asylum Ghost Tours will telling ghost stories around the fires and leading a unique ghost tour around the haunted streets of Bright.

To keep your soul warm throughout the day, there will be live music from local artists Harry & Disco, Liv Cartledge, The Kissin Cousins, plus a headline set from Melbourne band Saint Jude.

DARKER DAYS is a community-minded festival flowing with local produce, warming foods, live music and kids entertainment. After the sun sets, Bright Brewery’s riverside lands will truly come alive with a spectacular ceremonial burning of a giant wooden structure.

The festival will run from 12noon to 9pm on Saturday 30th June at 123 Great Alpine Road in Bright, with entry a gold coin donation for the local CFA.

Come gather around the fires to roast marshmallows and chestnuts. Hear campfire tales and even a ghost story or two. It will be a full day of mid-winter mountain fun!

Festival Line-up

Featured brewers of Victoria’s High Country Brewery Trail: Black Dog Brewery (Taminick), Blizzard Brewing Co (Dinner Plain), Bridge Road Brewers (Beechworth), Bright Brewery (Bright), King River Brewing (King Valley), Rutherglen Brewery (Rutherglen), Social Bandit Brewing Co (Mansfield), Sweetwater Brewing Co (Tawonga South).

Guest beers from: Malt Shed (Wangaratta), Two Pot (Yakandandah) and Wrong Side (Jamieson)

Featured drinks from: Alpine Cider (Wandiligong), Billy Button Wines (Bright), Reed & Co Distillery (Bright), Backwoods Distilling Co (Yakandanah), Sixpence Coffee (Bright).

Food from: Little Peddler, Bright Brewery, Riverdeck Café, Tolpuddle Goat Cheese & Farm Foods, King Valley Popcorn, The Wingvan, Chestnuts Australia, Shack Donuts.

Entertainment

Peak Pantry Live Music stage: Harry & Disco, Liv Cartledge, The Kissin Cousins, Saint Jude, DJs Bozo & Boozo.

FAM Events & Productions Storytime Tipi: Frustrated Artistic Mothers, Bright Poets & Wordsmiths and Asylum Ghost Tours presents games, singalongs, story times, kids ghost stories.

Around the festival: JD’s Face Painting, Medieval sword woodworks for kids with Schloss Toys, Asylum Ghost Tours present Ghost Tour Walks of Bright, on the hour from 6pm.

After dark: Asylum Ghost Tours and Bright Poets & Wordsmiths present ghost stories for adults.