THE Southern Barossa Business Group is looking at ways to contribute to Gawler’s Carnival of Cups, an event expected to attract hundreds of horse, greyhound and harness racing fans to the Gawler racecourse in October.

SBBG members were inspired by a presentation by the carnival’s organisers Aaron Bain and Sally Collings at the SBBG’s June Business at Sunset event, at Kies Winery in Lyndoch.

The event attracted key business owners and managers from across the southern Barossa region keen to learn more about the Carnival of Cups’ events and its benefits to Gawler and the region.

SBBG chair Steve Balch said the briefing had inspired southern Barossa businesses to investigate how they could support and add to the event.

“Immediately we could see opportunities to promote southern Barossa wines, perhaps with a wine tent and product placement at the week’s events, and offering half-day or day tours into the southern Barossa,” he said.

“Our region not only offers ‘traditional’ wine and food opportunities, but, uniquely, we offer day tourists the chance to take in regional forests, the South Para and Warren reservoirs and the Whispering Wall in Williamstown.”

Meanwhile, Mr Balch said the Business at Sunset event also provided an important forum for the region’s businesses to network and to value-add to the region’s offerings.

“At this latest event for example, we were all to learn more about the increasing growth of Kies Winery and its award-winning wines – not to mention its great cafe right on the doorstep of Lyndoch,” he said.

“Kies Winery is one of the few Barossa wineries still in ‘family’ hands – from its winemaker to its marketing and front-of-house staff.”