Nine things to do in the region this week (30 September - 6 October)

Whether it’s beer, bikes, spooks, food, music or a bit of retail therapy, there are so many exciting things to do in the region this long weekend.

From markets to festivals, feasts and music, we’ve gathered our top picks.

All Weekend

Thaw Festival

When: Saturday 1 to Monday 3 October, various times
Where: Various locations, see here
Cost: $20 (Sunday event only), book here.

This three-day annual event comprises The Ice Breaker, Oktoberfest and The Recovery Breakfast. On Saturday 1 October from 4 pm til late The Ice Breaker event invites you to come and kick off the last of the winter blues at Kitty’s in Merimbula with an Asian fusion-inspired menu, cocktails, craft beer and chilled tunes.
On Sunday 2 October from 12 pm to 7 pm indulge in hearty German food, beer (of course), Oompah music and German Slap dancing at Oktoberfest. Held at Oaklands Event Centre in Pambula, a $20 ticket scores you entry, entertainment and an Oktoberfest mug.
On Monday 3 October from 8:30 am to 11 am the Recovery Breakfast at Spencer Park in Merimbula provides free entertainment and a wide variety of foods to purchase. There will also be e-bikes, stand-up paddle boards and canoes available to hire, surf and streetwear to buy and events held at the Merimbula Sailboard Club and Pambula Surf Club.

Nightwalk Immersive Horror Queanbeyan

When: Friday 30 September, 8 pm – 9 pm
Where: Mystery location until payment is made
Cost: $42.90, book here,

Are you afraid of the dark? Do you dare to discover what lurks through Queanbeyan at night? Then book your ticket and get ready to walk in a fully immersive dark journey of haunting, deceit and murder. You’ve reached your starting coordinates at a secret pathway with your fully charged phone in hand and you look for the light of the candle waiting for you nearby. As soon as you find it, put your headphones on and get ready to walk. Will you be able to handle the voices, the whispers, the sounds, the pleas, the temptations and the threats? Something has happened; the more you walk, the more you’ll know. Have you got what it takes?

Goulburn Lilac City Festival

When: Saturday 1 to Monday 3 October, 10 am – 5 pm
Where: Various locations
Cost: Free.

Run almost continuously since 1951 (thanks, COVID) this beloved community festival is back for the first time since 2019. Aside from (hopefully) some blooms, expect carnival rides, festival markets, music and busking, an art display and more. The official opening will take place on the Saturday at Belmore Park with markets and food stalls, crowning of the lilac queen, prince, princess and baby, garden and business display winners, Battle of the Bands from 3:30 pm, a quilt show at the Soldiers from 10 am to 4 pm, Lilac Bowls Tournament at the Bowlo, live music at the Hibernian Hotel and a 1970s disco at the Workers Club. On the Monday, relax and unwind at the free breakfast event.

Murrumbateman Moving Feast

When: Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 October
Where: Various venues in Murrumbateman
Cost: Savoury dish $30, dessert $20, book direct with makers.

For the first time in two years, the largest food and wine festival in the Canberra wine district is returning to Murrumbateman this October to serve the best food, finest wine and freshest produce the region has to offer. Set across a wide selection of wineries and artisan venues, guests enjoy a roving degustation of perfectly paired foods matched with nationally and internationally recognised wines and regional products. This year, 13 wineries will be involved in the festival, as well as two local producers – Murrumbateman Chocolate Company and Win’s Creek Meadery. Each venue will serve up a savoury dish for $30 and a dessert dish for $20 and with every purchase comes a complimentary Riedel wine glass valued at $20 with a matching wine.

Gears and Beers Festival

When: Saturday 1 October, from 8 am and Sunday 2 October, 11 am – 6 pm
Where: Victory Memorial Gardens, cnr Baylis and Morrow sts, Wagga Wagga
Cost: Tickets from $20 for entry to ride in competition, $5 for festival entry.

This two-day festival combines two of life’s great joys: beer and bikes. If you’re a cycler, register and compete in one of the cycling competitions, with track distances ranging from 10 km to 130 km. On Sunday from 11 am, the music will be pumping and beer flowing as the beer festival takes the spotlight. There will be locally roasted coffee, great local food and plenty of live entertainment.

Saturday

ReGrowth Performance

When: Saturday 1 October, 6 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Broulee Surf Life Saving Club, Heath St, Broulee
Cost: Free tickets, register here.

If you’re headed down the coast for the long weekend, consider a stopover at Broulee Surf Life Saving Club this Saturday night. There will be free food, live music and a showcase of the local youth as they take to the stage to share their stories through theatre and performance. The action kicks off at 6 pm with free pizza and live music, then at 7 pm, the show begins.

Hive & Seek Market

When: Saturday 1 October, 9 am – 2 pm
Where: The Queanbeyan Hive, 274 Crawford St, Queanbeyan
Cost: Free entry.

One of Queanbeyan’s favourite markets is buzzing in again this weekend at The Hive. Enjoy coffee or tea in the lovely gardens, wander through the gallery, browse local stalls and pick up food from the Create Collaborate Collective Inc Backyard BBQ.

Sunday

Thredbo Pond Skim 2022

When: Sunday 2 October, 11 am – 2 pm
Where: The Pond, located at the bottom of Ballroom at the Cruiser area, Thredbo
Cost: Free, register here.

As the weather gets warmer and the snow starts to melt, Thredbo changes gears for this ice-breaker of an event, inviting people to dress up in their best summer-inspired clothes and test their luck skimming across the icy water of Thredbo’s Pond. Whether you want to participate or watch, it’s set to be a fun day out for the whole family. All participants will also get the opportunity to score some great prizes.

Australian Military Wives Choir

When: Sunday 2 October, 2 pm and 7 pm
Where: The Q Theatre, 253 Crawford St, Queanbeyan
Cost: $10, book here.

Join the Australian Military Wives Choir in celebrating its 10th anniversary in concert. The Choir was established in Canberra in 2012 and now, 10 years later, there are choirs in 13 locations across five states, two territories and online. With two performances, a matinee and an evening show, this show will take audiences on a musical journey through the Choir’s beginnings, its growth across the country, its resilience through the pandemic and its focus on the future.