Wine a little, laugh a lot: Grapes of Mirth comedy festival is back!

Posted on 16 January, 2023

Laughs, wine, and a damn good time—Grapes of Mirth is returning to Canberra after a four-year hiatus and it’s set to be huge.

Coming to the grounds of cool climate winery Contentious Character on Saturday 28 January, a heavyweight roster of some of Australia’s best stand-up comedians will take the stage to make you laugh, snort, and guffaw in a wildly unique outdoor comedy festival.

Launched by comedian, radio, and television presenter Merrick Watts when he realised the combination of comedy and good vino was a perfect pairing, at its core Grapes of Mirth is about bringing people together who share a passionate love of wine and comedy.

And as a qualified specialist, Merrick knows the wonderful world of wine very well.

“Since I was a very young man, I’ve always enjoyed wine but I got serious about it when I started Grapes of Mirth six years ago,” he says.

“I thought if I’m going to be working with the wine industry, I want them to know that this is more than just about comedy and clowning around. This is about people enjoying wine in the right way. And for me, the right way is to just enjoy it.”

And to be clear, by enjoy, he means getting it and putting it in his face.

After making sure to personally taste-test the boutique wines of Contentious Character—and as a lover of the Canberra wine region—Merrick is excited to be bringing the stacked festival line-up to the rolling hills and distant views of the Snowy Mountains.

“It’s the first time that I’ve been to that winery and they’re just great, wonderful people with a good vibe who are keen to have a good time and a good party. It’s going to be awesome.”

The festival will also feature live music from DJ Pedro Moshman and some delicious gourmet grub, including grazing boards that are available to pre-order. As for the laughs, the line-up includes stand-up comedy sets from Peter Helliar, Geraldine Hicket, Dilruk Jayasinha and Nath Valvo—as well as Merrick himself.

“It’s wildly structured and unstructured…you can do whatever you want, whenever you like and that’s what I love,” he says. “There are fewer rules and as a result, comedians jump off the stage and get amongst the crowd.”

“The glass wall between the audience disappears really quickly at Grapes of Mirth and I love that and that’s what a lot of the comedians love. They feel very much connected to the audience because it’s daylight and they can see people enjoying themselves.”

Inviting attendees to pull up a picnic rug as local wines, beer and cider pour all day, Grapes of Mirth will also be hosting a return bus service. Available to book when you purchase your ticket, it’s the perfect excuse for a fun day out with friends while you experience a relaxed and fresh take on comedy with a glass of something cold in hand.

“Get yourself a good possie on the grass, sit down, make yourself comfortable—definitely bring a hat—and just enjoy yourself,” says Merrick.

“This is not a wine education class, it’s not even a comedy education class. It’s just a full day of fun.”