Food and Wine better than ever
Madison Eastmond. The Riverland Food and Wine Festival took over the Berri riverfront for the first time in six years last weekend, with the showcase selling out and returning with zero behavioural issues. With tickets completely sold out before the 12noon start-time, the revamped day-long festival focused on local produce, wine, and entertainment that was enjoyed by 1200 Riverlanders.
Festival forges ahead
The decision to issue a planning permit to this year’s Esoteric Festival was made conditionally at Buloke Shire Council’s ordinary meeting held on Monday night in Wycheproof. The Council had announced its decision to deny a ten-year planning permit late last week following health and safety concerns, as well as emergency services regulations.
Core values
Tucked in the picturesque and fertile Harcourt Valley is a hub of apple production and its annual festival is this weekend on Saturday 8 March from 10am to 3pm at Harcourt Leisure Centre. Harcourt Applefest 2025 features activities to please every member of the family and it has grown so much that it has now spread to a larger location.
World domination begins: RYT take to the stage
Madison Eastmond. Joining forces with other regional artists and teen ensembles in Whyalla and Bendigo for the 2025 Adelaide Festival, the Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) will bunker down to survive an alien invasion in their new collaboration and retelling of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds.
Festival application refusal
The Buloke Shire Council has advised the organisers of the 2025 Esoteric Music Festival to cancel the event due to Council officers recommending the refusal of a planning permit based on significant health and safety concerns. With the Festival’s previous five-year planning permit expiring after the event last year, an application for a new ten-year permit was submitted in September 2024, with approval required to enable this year’s event to be held in Donald from 6 to 11 March 2025.
A fringe too far for Yorke Peninsula
Sarah Herrmann. Just one act is visiting Yorke Peninsula this Adelaide Fringe season, while regions a similar distance from the city, such as the Clare and Barossa Valleys, are hosting up to 30 events. This has prompted a local arts advocate to urge YP audiences to speak out and, importantly, show up when the time comes, if they want to see more arts offerings here.
“OK”! What a weekend!
Jenny Pollard. As the adrenaline rush from "OK Motels" subsides, Charlton can reflect on how the modest little festival, which began back in 2018, has now grown into a full-on, "all-of-town" experience as 800 visitors descended on the "Friendly River Town" to make last weekend’s event one for the record books.
Lake Meran Festival huge success
The second annual Lake Meran Festival was held last Sunday afternoon with hundreds of visitors coming along to enjoy the music, community, a great afternoon by the lake and to take a look at the star of the event, Grumpy the Turtle. Weighing in at almost one tonne, Grumpy was designed and built by Bendigo artist Moz Moresi ...
Trundle Back In Time Tractor Pull, 15-16 March 2025
Trundle Showgrounds
This year is amping up to be our biggest year yet with the Trundle Back In Time Tractor Pull. In 2025 we are...
Be at Beulah for “Wide Open Spaces”
Beulah’s “Wide Open Spaces” Music and Family Festival is coming on March, 8 and 9, 2025. Held on the green grass, under shady trees beside the Yarriambiack Creek, there is plenty of space to relax, dance, and enjoy the music, food and refreshments with friends and family.
Home Ground Sounds
Cohuna is hosting a one day music festival, Home Ground Sounds, on Sunday March 9 at the Cohuna Recreation Reserve with gates opening at 2pm ... The event is a unique opportunity to experience world class musical performances and help support the local community as the night will raise funds for the Cohuna Kangas Football Netball Club, Cohuna Show, Cohuna Athletics and Nondies Cricket.
Lights, camera, steampunk
Serviceton Station was transformed into a steampunk dreamscape on Sunday as models, stylist, photographers, and media gathered for a ‘wow factor’ photoshoot to promote the upcoming Wimmera Steampunk Festival.
Festival frenzy returns in 2025
Madison Eastmond. The Riverland Food & Wine Festival is back to take over the Berri riverfront this March, with the revamped event preparing to showcase the best local produce, wine, and entertainment. With a focus on local wine and cuisine, sustainability, and safety, the classic event has been reimagined for the Riverland community since it was last held in the region six years ago.
Musicophilia with Jessica Lowe: Bellringing
Jessica Lowe. Bellringing, also known as campanology, is a unique form of music. I always enjoyed hearing the bells ringing from St Andrews Anglican Cathedral when I lived in Lismore ...
Three decades of Heritage Weekend success
Glyn Rees. With a last puff from a machine exhaust the 2025 and 30th Allora Heritage Weekend chuffed out late Sunday afternoon after the final Grand Parade signalling the end of another amazingly successful event highlighting history from a past era and the Australia Day weekend on the Southern Downs.
Roxy hosts inaugural E-Sports Gaming Tournament
Competitors were in for a one-of-a-kind gaming experience with the game feed being cast onto the large projector screen in the Roxy auditorium. The event included competitions across the games “Super Smash Brothers” (22 competitors), “Mario Kart” (16 competitors) and “Rocket League” (16 competitors).
Golden delicious!
The 2025 Maldon Twilight Dinner was a dazzling event under a clear, starry sky on Saturday 18 January. Attendees glistened in a variety of outfits along a golden spectrum of glitzy glam to gleefully garish. (There was a particular trend for sparkly top-hats).
Dunoon Music Festival 2024
Sarah Brehaut. On Saturday 9th November the Dunoon Sports Club was pleased to host the Dunoon Music Festival, proudly sponsored by Planet Music. With seven bands lined up for the day, a sound engineer, volunteers galore, food vans scattered out the back and Anna’s Greek Kitchen fully stocked for the day what could possibly have gone wrong?
Dale does it again – Giant pumpkin winners are grinners at Kyogle festival
He’s done it again — Dale Oliver won the giant pumpkin competition in Kyogle ... One of the festival organisers Rob Cullen estimated a crowd of about 2500 people.
Folk festival continues century old tradition
Picture yourself sitting on the banks of an idyllic creek, listening to wonderful music played by some of Australia’s most talented musicians and celebrating local traditional music and dance… Imagine no more! Upper Murray residents are invited to come and join in the fun and music at the Nariel Recreation Reserve on the banks of the beautiful Nariel Creek and also at the Memorial Hall Corryong, to welcome in the 2025 New Year.
Gold medal for Mundi Mundi Bash
The Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash has won gold at the 2024 NSW Tourism Awards in the festivals and events category. "This is a fantastic achievement and recognition for a festival which only commenced in 2022, having been created from scratch on the red dirt of the Mundi Mundi Plains 40km outside Broken Hill," Outback Music Festival Group founder and MD Greg Donovan said.
Record amount of Hokey Pokey fun during 2024 Grafton Jacaranda Festival
They put their right feet, left feet, right arms, left arms, heads, knees, shoulders, elbows, and bottoms in, and they shook them all about, they did the Hokey Pokey and they turned around, and that’s what it was all about as hundreds of participants attempted to set a new record for the biggest Hokey Pokey in Australian history during the 2024 Grafton Jacaranda Festival.
