Festival: What's on

Only one week to go! Hop on the event train for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, culminating in a weekend of regional long lunches.

Hellenic Home by the Sea, March 11, 6.30-10.30pm; Hellenic Republic, Brunswick East; tickets $95
Hellenic Republic holds a celebration of the motherland with a feast designed to highlight the culinary tastes of a nation known for its fishermen and incredible char-grilled seafood. The menu, designed to celebrate the islands of Greece and the people who fish them, features char-grilled octopus, calamari, sardines and prawns paired with traditional Greek sides and share plates.

Water Courses, March 11, 6.30-11.30pm; Pei Modern, Melbourne; tickets $160
Sustainable fishing and water-conscious winemaking meet when Tom Kime of Sydney's Fish and Co joins with Victorian wine producer Chalmers at Pei Modern. Together they will create a five-course food and wine extravaganza - a delicious dip into the world of ethical produce.

Blood is Thicker than Water, March 13, 6.30pm and 8.30pm; Casa Ciuccio and Cutler & Co, Fitzroy; tickets $95
Andrew and Matt McConnell, Melbourne's most famous chef brothers, are teaming up for a one-night-only event with wine importer the Spanish Acquisition. On the menu? Two sittings of blood-inspired dishes such as canard au sang (pressed duck), morcilla (Spanish blood sausage) and the famed boudin noir (traditional French blood sausage), matched with beautiful Spanish drops.

Down by the River, March 15, 7pm-10.30pm; Tani Eat and Drink, Bright; tickets $125
Rachel Reed and Hamish Nugent, the owner-chefs of Tani Eat & Drink (awarded Regional Restaurant of the Year by The Age Good Food Guide 2014) are celebrating the Ovens River, the waterway that runs through their home town of Bright. They'll ''borrow'' ingredients from the river to create a five-course dinner with matched drinks. Expect beautifully prepared trout alongside Alpine Valley regional wines and mountain spring water - all enjoyed within cooee of the river itself.

Regional World's Longest Lunch - Shepparton, March 14, noon-4pm; Queens Gardens, Shepparton; tickets $75
Set among the garden idyll that is Queen's Gardens, the Longest Lunch arrives in Shepparton showcasing five courses of the best of Murray River produce: think tomatoes, figs, stonefruits, fat lambs, beef, craft beers and boutique wines. Chef Jill Hayes will gather together the best of the region's chefs while lunch-goers can also kick-back to live music.