If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to celebrate the Grateful Dead

San Francisco, the US capital of counterculture, is celebrating 60 years of iconic local band The Grateful Dead. 

The city is celebrating the band's profound influence on San Francisco and American culture with months of special events, concerts, exhibitions, and tributes citywide.

The celebration will reach a zenith August 1-3, when Dead & Company - a re-incarnation of the Grateful Dead that formed after the group's 2015 Fare Thee Well shows - headlines three nights of performances at Golden Gate Park's Polo Field, supported by tribute bands playing throughout San Francisco and City Hall and other landmarks illuminated in tie-dye.

The Haight-Ashbury quarter, the Grateful Dead's home during the transformative 1960s, will again become the colourful heart of festivities.

“From Haight-Ashbury to the Excelsior District where Jerry Garcia grew up, the Grateful Dead's influence is integral to our city's cultural fabric," said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. 

"Sixty years later, we proudly honour their legacy through concerts, community events, and celebrations, reflecting San Francisco's enduring spirit of creativity, connection, and musical innovation.”

Formed in San Francisco in 1965, the Grateful Dead helped redefine rock music with improvised performances blending rock, jazz, and blues. The band's legendary concerts drew devoted fans, creating a global community of “Deadheads” bonded by shared musical experiences.

The 60th-anniversary festivities include Dead & Company at Golden Gate Park with Grateful Dead band members Mickey Hart, and Bobby Weir, joined by John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge and Jay Lane. See deadandcompany.com for details.

The free, annual Jerry Day concert on August 2 commemorates band leader Jerry Garcia's 82nd birthday - he died of a heart attack in 1995 - and the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park. 

A commemorative “Jerry Garcia Street” sign will be unveiled at Harrington Street, Garcia's childhood neighbourhood, on August 1 at 11am.

Haight-Ashbury merchants are hosting celebrations on June 21, July 19 and August 16, featuring live music, art showcases, special promotions, and vibrant street activities 

At the annual Haight-Ashbury Street Fair on September 7 will showcase performances, art, community spirit, and a line-up of musicians. 

From October 29-November 23, Magic Theatre premieres a musical exploration of Garcia's early years in the Mission District.

Find more information on these and other events celebrating the Grateful Dead's 60th Anniversary here at sftravel.com.

Tasmanian stargazing, wine and the Winter Solstice

Two of Tasmania’s leading drinks producers: Tamar Ridge and Turner Stillhouse are joining forces to host a one-off Winter Solstice stargazing event: NOIR NOIR.

This one-night-only event will take place at the Tamar Ridge cellar door on Saturday, June 21, from 6:30pm.  

The collaborators are inviting wine lovers, whisky drinkers and budding astronomers to sip, savour and stargaze under Tasmania’s bright winter sky - and be among the first to taste some new releases, including Tamar Ridge's 2023 Reserve Pinot Noir and Turner Stillhouse's inaugural whiskies, which includes Tasmania’s first ever Bourbon-style whisky: Rosevears Three Grain Whiskey and Rosevears Single Malt Whisky, matured in old Tamar Ridge pinot noir oak barrels. 

Guests at Tamar Ridge cellar door will be guided through a stargazing session by local astronomy expert Chris Arkless.

Arkless says the event will provide insights into Tasmania’s unique location in the Southern Hemisphere and the stellar beauty of Tasmania's night sky on the longest night of the year.

“Stargazing is a powerful way to connect with the natural world and ignite a sense of wonder. As we gather to celebrate the Winter Solstice with exquisite, locally made pinot noir and whisky, we will embark on a celestial journey, discovering the stars that have guided humanity for millennia.”

NOIR NOIR is being promoted as a “rare opportunity to connect the earthly pleasures of our Tasmanian landscape with the vastness of the universe”. 

Huddled around outdoor fire pits, guests will get a tasting of all new releases and can add the option of a cheese and charcuterie platter.

"NOIR NOIRis a chance to celebrate not only these two exciting new releases, but also theincredible natural beauty of Tasmania," said Tamar Ridge winemaker Tom Wallace.

"We're thrilled to partner with Turner Stillhouse to create a truly memorable night that showcases thebest of our cool-climate pinot noir and their exceptional new whisky, and to share the magic of a Tasmanian winter with our guests. 

Tickets for NOIR NOIR are $45 per person including a tasting of new releases, meeting Tamar Ridge winemakers, live music and stargazing session. Guests can add a cheese and charcuterie platter for $35 (for two people).

Tickets at tamarridge.rezdy.com/709946/noir-noir-winter-solstice.

After 50+ years in the same family, Passing Clouds hits the market

Passing Clouds Vineyard, a family-owned wine producer with a 50+ year history, is up for sale by the Leith family.

The winery and cellar door, located at Musk, just outside Daylesford in Victoria, is being marketed by Nick Butler of LJ Hooker Specialty Projects.

Passing Clouds is described as "one of the jewels of the Macedon Ranges" .

The property has mature chardonnay and pinot noir vines with room for expansion, along with the cellar door with casual tasting and picnic areas, overlooking the winery.

Set away from the working business, the property also boasts an almost new architecturally designed five-bedroom home and a separate three-bedroom cottage.

Selling agent and vineyard specialist Butler has enjoyed a relationship with the Leith family for over 20 years.

“The demand for quality pinot noir and chardonnay vineyards remains strong with recent sales recognising that consumers are gravitating more and more to these varieties," Butler says.

"The Macedon Ranges is home to some of Australia’s finest wines and Passing Clouds Vineyard sits up at the upper echelon.

"Combining an established and well recognised vineyard and brand with the low hanging fruit of upside through a shortage of accommodation in the area and this represents an incredible opportunity to own something beautiful and highly profitable.”

Passing Clouds began in Bendigo before being established in the Macedon Ranges almost three decades ago.

Founder Graeme Leith handed over the reins to the next generation 15 years ago: his son Cameron and daughter-in-law Marion.

“Passing Clouds celebrated 50 years last year, and with that milestone came time to pause and reflect for us and our young family," said Cameron and Marion.

"We decided that it is time for us to move on to new pursuits. Whilst we will miss this beautiful property we are excited about our family's next chapter”

Included in the sale is an inventory of wines.

“The 2025 season was the best since the vineyard was planted in 1998," says Cameron Leith.

"We had the highest yields on record and achieved optimum ripeness and quality.”

Passing Clouds is for sale via an Expressions of Interest Process closing 2pm on Friday, June 20. Call 0458 672 643 |or email nick.butler@ljhavalon.com.au

Police warning: Look out for hotel booking scammers

Travellers need to pay more attention when booking hotels online, police have warned.

Three Thai nationals have been arrested for allegedly defrauding international tourists out of thousands of dollars using a fake hotel booking scheme.

Three suspects scammed more than $21,000 from customers by creating fake Facebook and web addresses and fleecing unwary tourists.

The alleged fraudsters set up fake Facebook pages for well-known Pattaya area hotels, taking bookings and payments.

Officers from Thailand’s Tourist Police Bureau made arrests at three locations across Thailand.

The three suspects had no ties at all to the hotels they sold rooms at, news portal Travel Mole reported.

Travellers tried to check in at the hotels for which they had booked and found the properties had no record of the,

Thai Police issued a warning to travellers to fully verify hotel pages on social media before parting with their details.

“These suspects lured tourists using Facebook pages that mimicked popular Pattaya hotels," Thai Police said.

"They offered fake promotions to convince victims to transfer money for non-existent bookings.”

Image: Rye Jesson, scop.io.  

Qantas boosts number of peak season flights to New Zealand

Qantas has announced more flights between Australia and New Zealand, with the airline boosting its capacity across the Tasman by up to 20% during December 2025 and January 2026.

The airline says it will have around 60,000 extra seats between the two countries during the peak summer holiday period.

Sydney to Auckland will see up to six additional flights per week, a 16% per cent increase, while Sydney to Christchurch will see up to seven additional flights per week, a 47% increase and Sydney-Wellington up to five additional flights per week, a 31% increase.

Flights from Melbourne and Brisbane will also see significant boosts.

The increases will see Qantas operate more than 3.3 million seats across the Tasman between January 2025 and January 2026, supporting tourism growth in both New Zealand and Australia.

In addition, Qantas will soon introduce its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on flights between Auckland and Brisbane, bringing premium economy to the route and increasing premium seat choices for customers by up to 80%.

The 787 Dreamliner service will initially operate three times per week from August 2025 and increase to daily from October 2025.

“This year has already seen huge growth in New Zealand for Qantas Group, from the announcement of two new Qantas routes to the refurbishment of our Auckland lounge well underway and the upcoming launch of three more new trans-Tasman routes for Jetstar," said Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace.

“Today we’re so pleased to offer even more Tasman flying for customers, which will mean Qantas will have the most frequency between Australia and New Zealand at one of the busiest travel periods of the year. "

Running with Bulls adds a Bagnum to its wine range

The Bagnum is gaining traction with younger wine drinkers. 

Running with Bulls, owned by Yalumba's Hill-Smith family, has adopted the 1.5-litre bag format for a new release of its popular tempranillo. 

The convenient soft packs are ideal for parties, picnics and camping, being lighter and easier to transport than bottles. 

While the red wine Bagnum category has so far been dominated by shiraz and pinot noir, Barossa-based Running has added tempranillo to the mix. 

The Tempranillo Bagnum is being promoted as "ideal for younger drinkers and wine explorers seeking quality without compromise". 

The Bagnum is "shareable, sessionable, and 90% lighter than glass - perfect for picnics, hikes, or quiet nights in".

The resealable Bagnum pack also stays fresh for up to 30 days after opening, compared to 3-5 days for a standard glass bottle. 

Launching alongside the Running with Bulls Tempranillo Bagnum is the new Bullish Shiraz - a Barossa shiraz dialled up with a dash of tempranillo. 

Running with Bulls Tempranillo Bagnum ($40) and Bullish Shiraz ($21) are available nationwide at Dan Murphy’s stores and at smithswinestore.com.au.