While the fair is only a two-day event, the 10th Sculpture in the Vineyards will be freely open for a month at five venues - Noyce Brothers Wines, Undercliff Winery, Stonehurst Cedar Creek, Wollombi Wines and Wollombi Village Vineyard.

In addition to the usual attractions, including food stalls, local produce and arts and craft stalls, the fair will have performing brumbies, bush poets and the NSW Corp of Marines doing historical re-enactments.

The re-enactments will include convicts in leg irons as well as musket fire action and booming canons.

A lantern parade and burning of the lanterns bonfire will be held on Saturday evening and Sunday will include an open day at Wollombi’s Endeavour Museum with an antique machinery display.

Late tomorrow afternoon, Sculpture in the Vineyards will be opened with Aboriginal dancing, music and a light show.

The exhibition’s director, Tara Morelos, said 132 entries had been culled back to 100, including new works by Alun Rhys Jones, Stevie Fieldsend, Rae Bolotin, Geoff Harvey, Peter Tilley, Jimmy Rix and last year’s winner Mike Patton.

“It has evolved significantly between 2002 and 2012 and is shaping up to be an extraordinary event,” Ms Morelos said. 

“The variety of approaches, combined with the historical, environmental and picturesque locations make this a unique and exciting destination for lovers of art and wine. And we’ve now become the largest outdoor sculpture exhibition in Australia.”