Festival

In a much-anticipated event, Baringhup Hall is set to resonate with the melodies of folk music ... welcoming an international lineup featuring Icelandic folk singer Svavar Knútur, Australian folk duo The Maes, and Tarrengower’s own Grim Fawkner. The doors open at 6pm for a 6.30pm start, marking a first for Mount Alexander Shire under the auspices of the Festival of Small Halls...

Going behind the scenes of River Daze on Saturday afternoon, I was fortunate to be able to have a quick chat with headline act, Shannon Noll, just before sound check ... For Noll, who was born and bred in the country NSW town of Condobolin, it was his first time in Barham and being a country boy, he was prepared for an enthusiastic crowd.

The March long weekend brings with it many entertaining events throughout the region. Just a hop, skip and a jump away, will be Beulah’s not-to-be-missed Wide Open Spaces Festival; a weekend of music, art, food and fun at the Beulah Recreation Reserve.

Jenny Pollard. After four days of full-on activity, Charlton has surely earned a place in the spotlight for community endeavour as both a host and in partnership with the burgeoning OK Motels Contemporary Music and Arts Small Town Festival, which played out last weekend ... with the fun and innovative  activities like “Marry Your Friends – A Celebration of Holy Mate-rimony”...

Daisy Baker. As locations across Tasmania are being transformed into immersive art spaces for Mona Foma, an independent gym in Launceston is preparing to host world-class circus professionals for two adults-only evenings this week. Tasmanian circus company ROOKE will present DEKOOR in Method Plus Action gym, playfully exploring gym culture, training and voyeurism.

Blake Lee. In just 15 days’ time, Birchip’s main street will become a vibrant, action packed site for locals and tourists alike as the community comes together to host the Mali Heart Street Art Festival. The March long weekend is set to be an eventful one for Birchip, with travellers from all across the state choosing to spend their weekend in the area to enjoy the hospitality and activities on offer with the locals.

Jex Lopez is mostly known as a singer songwriting pianist. A vaudevillian cabaret noir artist, her music and style is intrinsically tied to her identity as a queer Latina Meztiça with Portuguese Indian heritage.

Patricia Gill. The Big 30 Whizzbangaversary Exhibitionist Brave New Works operated on half the budget of BNW29 but exceeded all expectations with 45 works in the festival. Most of these were from Denmark artists but there was the occasional international artist and others from elsewhere in WA adding their talent to the three days of fun...

Due to compliance issues with Council, Sandy Creek Clydesdales owners Matthew and Jaimie Thompson say they have been forced to cancel much of their business activities ... well-known and much-loved enterprise ... “We delved into just what changing the land use zoning would require,” Jaimie said.

Frances Evans. Following a few challenging years due to the pandemic and drought, it was a return to big crowds and big temperatures at the 52nd Tamworth Country Music Festival ... One name synonymous with Australian country music is Storer. And Storer did not disappoint.

The 10th annual Gynburra festival was held at Port Victoria on Friday and Saturday, January 26-27. The festival is named after the Gynburra fish, also known as butterfish or dusky morwong, which has cultural significance for the Narungga people.

There will be no better place than Bendigo to celebrate the Lunar New Year in February 2024. It’s the Year of the Dragon and local celebrations will feature a special appearance from one of Bendigo’s favourite dragons, Sun Loong.

Every now and then, something comes along to remind you that, despite all the current negativity around the traps and around the world, it does one good to give yourself permission to grab at least one night a year to scoop up friends, invite visitors, get dressed up and have yourself a mighty good time. Enter the 18th Twilight Dinner. 

Statistics from Tourism and Events Queensland unveil a fresh milestone for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers in total attendance, with a record-breaking figure of 417,517 - an impressive 14 per cent surge compared to the 2022 results.

After months of planning by the Nhill Karen Community, our town really came to life on Saturday with the celebration of the Karen New Year. There were over 1,000 in attendance travelling from around Victoria and some even from interstate.

Tony Frohloff has been growing giant pumpkins in Minden, Queensland for years ... This year, he picked his pumpkin a week ago, hoping it wouldn’t lose too much weight before the weighing ... It came in at 358.5kg and won him the winning title and first prize money of $1100.

Glyn Rees. One of the region’s premier events, the annual Allora Heritage Weekend, will see the Allora Showgrounds host a two-day feast of historical machinery displays and activity on Australia Day weekend, January 27th and 28th. Vintage vehicle and machinery enthusiasts from around the nation will again have the opportunity to take to the many roads leading to Allora and its picturesque showgrounds.

Fred Beck grew pumpkins in the 1920s on Mount Pleasant, Woodenbong. Mr Beck’s grandson, David Smith said when the pumpkins were ripe they were carted to the pigsty ...This year Lillian Cox ... has cracked the 300kg mark ...

Elvis has left the building! Around 25,000 Elvis fans donned their bejeweled jumpsuits, poodle skirts and pompadour wigs to shake rattle and roll the week away in Parkes, New South Wales, for the 2024 Parkes Elvis Festival.

A Saturday afternoon party, nothing out of the ordinary . . . except it was. The first of its kind in Donald, a community Christmas party – all welcome, bring a plate.