Dal Zotto Wines in the King Valley welcomed more than 1000 visitors across its Easter weekend celebrations, with crowds evenly spread across both days and a strong showing from Melbourne and regional travellers.

Onsite event manager Jasmine Baldry said just over a thousand people attended the free two-day event, making it comparable with last year’s turnout but with a noticeable shift in crowd patterns.

“Last year we saw around 600 people on the Saturday and about 400 on the Sunday,” she said.

“This year we were pretty even across both days, with just over 500 people each day.”

The popular Easter event, which featured live music, food and wine in Dal Zotto’s expansive gardens, was a huge success, attracting both loyal repeat visitors and first-time guests.

“We had people who come every year with big groups of friends and their kids, and they absolutely love it,” Jasmine said.

“But we also saw plenty of people who had never been to Dal Zotto before, or even to the King Valley.”

Jasmine said the majority of visitors travelled from Melbourne, with many making the trip specifically for the Easter weekend festivities.

A major highlight for guests was the winery’s outdoor setting, which Jasmine said offered a strong sense of connection to the region.

“Being outside in the garden really clicks for people,” she said.

“We’ve got this big green space that overlooks the vines and a more than 400 year old gum tree, and it makes people feel like they’re truly immersed in the valley.”

Another drawcard was the strong family presence throughout the weekend, with multiple generations of the Dal Zotto family spending time with guests.

“Michael and Christian are always around, Otto and Elena are having a wine and chatting to people, and the winemakers are doing tastings,” Jasmine said.

“When people realise they’re actually talking to the family behind the winery, it makes it feel like you’re celebrating Easter with them.”

Weather conditions also played in the event’s favour, with sunshine and mild temperatures across the weekend.

“Saturday morning was a little chilly, but by late morning it was about 24 degrees and perfect,” Ms Baldry said.

“Sunday was warmer again, getting up to around 28 degrees.”

Live music kept crowds entertained, with Sweet Buzz performing on Saturday and Len and Paul taking the stage on Sunday under a large marquee supplied by Burke Hire.

“The music had everyone up dancing,” Jasmine said.

“The atmosphere was fantastic and people were just having a great time."

Ms Baldry said the winery was particularly pleased to see continued support for local businesses despite the current economic climate.

"We're really happy with the weekend and really happy to see everyone come up to a free event and even though times are a little bit challenging, it's great to see people still moving around and supporting local," she said.