Nine things to do in the region this week (5 May - 11 May)

There’s plenty to check out this week in the regions.

Foodies will enjoy the Narooma Oyster Festival and the Tallong Apple Day Festival which highlight – you guessed it – oysters and apples! Additionally, an event in Bermagui will explore climate change and community resilience with some big-name speakers.

For the art fans, there’s plenty planned. Jindaybe school kids will take to the stage in their production of High School Musical on Stage! and two new art exhibitions will launch in Queanbeyan and Cowra. A work in progress showing will also give attendees a sneak peek into the process of a Cooma playwright. Meanwhile, the Goulburn North Public School Family Fun & Fireworks Night and Steampunk@Altitude Festival are returning for 2023, with rides, market stalls and attractions galore to keep everyone entertained.

And if you don’t mind a bit of a drive, there is the Canberra International Music Festival. It will close out its run of 20 concerts with amazing performances on Sunday (7 March) – make sure to find out more on the festival’s website!

Multiple days

High School Musical on Stage! from Jindabyne Central School

When: 4 to 6 May, doors open at 7:15 pm
Where: Jindabyne Central School, 8/20 Park Road, Jindabyne
Cost: $17.50, tickets via Eventbrite.

Some Jindabyne school kids are turning their hands to theatre with a production of High School Musical on Stage!, with more than 100 students and staff involved. The musical is based on the 2006 Disney Channel movie High School Musical, where star high school athlete Troy falls for new student Gabriella as everyone learns to be true to themselves. Get your tickets for the show now!

Narooma Oyster Festival

When: 5 to 7 May, various times
Where: Various; see program
Cost: Various; see program.

The best of the South Coast’s oyster industry will be on display when the Narooma Oyster Festival returns. More than 10,000 visitors are expected to come along for three days of live music and dance performances, fireworks, Yuin cultural events, Australia’s Oyster Shucking Championships and more.

Exposed exhibition

When: 6 May to 27 May, 10 am to 4 pm (gallery open Wednesday to Saturday)
Where: Rusten House, 87 Collett Street, Queanbeyan
Cost: Free entry.

This multimedia exhibition from the Marsden Art Group sees a group of artists respond to the prompt ‘exposed’. The opening will be held on Saturday (6 May) from 2 to 4 pm. The participating artists include Barbara van der Linden, Val Gee, Ian Baird, Michael Felgenhaur, Margaret Gordon, Marilyn Hutchinson, Margaret Kalms and Susan Hey.

Lachlan Valley Biennial Art Awards 2023

When: 6 to 28 May (the gallery is open 10 am to 4 pm on Tuesday to Saturday, and 10 am to 2 pm on Sundays)
Where: Cooma Regional Art Gallery, 77 Darling Street, Cowra
Cost: Free admission.

The latest addition to the region’s art calendar is not to be missed! Cowra Regional Art Gallery will host the Lachlan Valley Biennial Art Awards, a non-acquisitive prize open to artists that live within 100 km of Cowra. Artists will compete to win the $4000 Major Prize and the $1000 Barbara Bennett Memorial Award for the People’s Choice Award. On Saturday (6 May), the exhibition will launch with an opening from 2 to 4 pm. This is a Cowra Art Group Inc. project organised in collaboration with the Cowra Regional Art Gallery.

Steampunk@Altitude Festival

When: 6 to 7 May
Where: Various
Cost: Various; see ticket event listing.

Nimmitabel will get a two-day long makeover into a Steampunk-inspired slice of life. The aesthetic is a design style inspired by Victorian-era industrialism, particularly steam powered machines. A high tea will give you enough energy to tackle the events and attractions, which include penny-farthing riding, karaoke, market stalls, the show and shine, games and more. While most activities are free, some do have a cost.

Friday

The Moodji Futures Dinner

When: 5 May, 5:30 to 9:30 pm
Where: Bermagui Surf Life Saving Club, Lot 7034 Lamont Street, Bermagui
Cost: $65, tickets via Humanitix.

This dinner, catered by Kelly Eastwood of Eastwoods Deli and Master Chef fame, will be followed by a panel discussion on climate change, sustainability and community resilience. Additionally, the Koru Lian Timor Choir, ‘the voice and sound of Timor’, will be performing.

‘The Queen’s City of the South’ development showing

When: 5 May, 5:30 to 7 pm
Where: Performing Arts Centre, Monaro High School, Mittagang Road, Cooma North
Cost: $10.50, tickets via Trybooking.

Go inside the mind of Cooma actor and playwright Mark Salvestro. The showing involves a live reading of his latest work The Queen’s City of the South. It is inspired by the history of Cooma Gaol and its past use as a prison for gay men. All proceeds will be donated to Jindy Pride Youth Group.

Saturday

Goulburn North Public School Family Fun & Fireworks Night

When: 6 May, 4 to 8 pm
Where: Goulburn North Public School, 1a Union Street, Goulburn
Cost: zero to $35, tickets via Ticketebo.

This well known Goulburn North Public School fundraiser is returning for another year. Rides, market stalls, raffles, auctions and prizes will be on offer. There will also be a barbecue and food stalls to keep everyone fed, and a chance to snap up a show bag of your choosing.

Sunday

Tallong Apple Day Festival

When: 7 May, 9 am to 4 pm
Where: 2 Memorial Drive, Tallong
Cost: Entry is $5 for adults and $2 for children.

You might eat one a day to keep the doctor away (or not), but the apple will be the focus of this annual festival. There will be wood chopping, puppet shows, a fancy dress competition, live music, a rock climbing wall and food stalls and much more throughout the day, which celebrates Tallong’s strong heritage of apple orchards. Shuttle buses will depart every 15 minutes from Truckstop 31 (at 10 George Street, Marulan), at the cost of a gold coin donation to the RFS.