Hundreds of dishes will be cooked and wine glasses filled when the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival commences next month for what will be its 24th year. Running from March 4 to 13, the program will see food enthusiasts, top chefs, and wine connoisseurs come together over scrumptious meals and special wine selections, all wrapped in a series of events celebrating flavors from at least 30 countries.

A total of 290 events are set to take place at different parts of the city throughout the festival, promising unique wining and dining experiences that are sure to inspire one’s taste buds. One highlight would be the Bank of Melbourne World’s Longest Lunch program, where a menu by Guy Grossi will be served to 1,600 guests from all over the world on a table stretched 500 meters along Albert Park’s Grand Prix track. Another is the presence of high-profile chefs who will be hosting the festival’s MasterClass series, where participants will get to learn directly from the likes of Michelin-starred Pierre Koffmann, May Chow of Hong Kong’s Little Bao restaurant, and Paul Carmichael, executive chef at David Chang’s Momofuku Seiobo in Sydney.

While most of the festivities will require special passes that can be purchased on the festival’s website, there will be at least 25 free events for anyone to attend, including the River Graze program on the banks of the Yarra River, where guests can hop on water ferries to get from one spot to another and enjoy a wide selection of free entertainment, dishes, and regional wines.

For more information, visit Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.