June Long Weekend Festivals

Many workers will have a long weekend from the 10 to 13 June this year to celebrate the Queens Birthday. There will be no shortage of festivals and events to attend across NSW in Australia. here is just a small selection of them. 

NSW COUNTRY

Winter Heat Festival,
Newcastle, Saturday June 11, 6:00pm-9:00pm

Now in its’ eighth year Newcastle L!vesites annual Winter Heat Festival offers an array of live music, theatrical performances, art installations and art workshops.   The event is free and aims to provide members of the public with enriching cultural experiences that are a little - out of the ordinary!

The location is Pacific Park, Newcastle, which is opposite Newcastle Beach. Featured will be Little Scallywags Stage Show for kids, followed by a meet & greet, Light Installation by artist Ken O’Regan, and Workshops by artist Ken O’Regan. For more information see the website:- http://honeysuckle.net/whats-on/124-fire-up-this-winter-winter-heat-festival

Milton Scarecrow Festival, 11^th and 12 June

What?! You’ve never been to Milton’s Scarecrow Festival? Well you just don’t know what you’ve been missing. The community of Milton invites everyone to their annual Milton Scarecrow Festival on Saturday and Sunday of the June long weekend 2011. There will be lots of scarecrows, real and live, plus market stall, farm yard animals, jumping caslte, family bbq, and rides. The Entertainment starts at 9.30 in Wason St closed, in the middle of town. There will be local entertainment, bands, singers, dance, competitions, and games. This year the theme for Scarecrows is CELEBRITIES.  

Saturday is markets, music and scarecrows hanging around. Sunday is the Big Scarecrow Day, everybody brings their scarecrow to town. So between craft demonstrations, street theatre: pumpkin pies, scarecrow viewing and dancing, you will find complete entertainment for the whole family.

For further information see the website:- http://www.ulladulla.info/milton-scarecrow-festival 

Food, Fun & Music Festival, Toukley Village Green, 11th -13th June

Bring the family along for a day of fun activities and great food including wine tasting, gourmet food, market stalls, farmyard nursery, circus play space, amusements, face painting, live entertainment on the Village Green stage. There will be performances by the Roller Coaster Band and the Central Coast Symphony Orchestra Enjoy

For further information see the website:- http://www.greatertoukley.org/events-in-the-toukley-area.html

Wintersun Nostalgia Festival, Port Macquarie

For the very first time, Port Macquarie is home to Wintersun 2011. There’s no better way to come out of your shell than to rock around the clock for 10 days from 3 -13 June.

This music and lifestyle festival celebrates the excitement and buzz of the 40s, 50s and 60s. So whether it’s rock’n’roll, dancing, cars, fashion or even shopping, there’s something for everyone. Wintersun Nostalgia Festival delivers two weeks of day and night activities across a variety of events such as street parades, concerts, dancing and dance workshops, classic and vintage car parades, performances and entertainment reflective of the 40's 50's and 60's.

For more information see the Event Website:- www.wintersun.org.au

Blue Water Country Music Festival 2011

This will be held in Nelson Bay, Port Stephens from Friday 10th to Monday 13th June 2011 and will bring the Country to the Coast.

Blue Water Country is a unique Country Music Festival based in Nelson Bay, Port Stephens, just 2 hours north of Sydney. Most of the festival action is on the beautiful Port Stephens waterway, Across the Port Stephens area, over 40 venues from Boats to Clubs, Resorts and Pubs embrace all forms of Country music. Enjoy the cream of Country music talent in this rare and beautiful location. Bush Poet breakfasts, boot scooting, blue grass, country rock, bush balladering and our unique "'Blue Dolphin Awards" for young talent provide for a huge variety of Country Music entertainment over 5 days extending over the June long weekend.

Some of this year Festival's features will be:- Artists and Bands, Concerts, Blue Water Busking Titles, Bootscooting, Bush Poets, Blue Water Twilight Cruise, Ute Muster, and a Country Music Bus Brewery Tour.

Performers will include Beccy Cole, Aly Cook, Ryan Sampson (Australian Idol), Steve Passfield, Jayne Denham, Brothers 3 and more. For further information see the website :- www.bluewatercountrymusic.com.au
 

Ettalong Beach Busk-a-thon, 11th June

The Busk-a-thon will return to Ettalong beach for the second time this June longweek after the inaugural event was held for the first time last year. All musicians, singers and songwriters are welcome to enter the Buskathon, a busking competition which is judged by a selection of top music industry professionals who are in Ettalong for the Australian Songwriters Conference. For more information see the web site:- http://www.buskathon.com/

 
Shoalhaven Coast Winter Wine Festival
11 – 13 June

People can purchase a festival wine glass for $6 and enjoy free wine and cheese tasting at 16 participating vineyards and wineries from Kiama to Bawley Point on the South Coast of NSW. Exciting wines, gourmet food, local produce and live music.
For further information see the web site:- http://berry.org.au/shoalhaven-coast-winter-wine-festival/

Snowy Mountains of Music Festival

The Perisher Snowy Mountains of Music Festival is back on the June long weekend - 10-13 June 2011 - for its third year. The 2011 festival will once again be one of the most unique festivals in the country with a stellar line-up set to wow Perisher with over 100 concerts at over 8 venues across the resort.Artists will include the muddy punk blues chanteuse Dallas Frasca “the Queen of Australian Roots”. and fresh from winning the Telstra Horizon Award at Tamworth The Sunny Cowgirls.. Curl up and watch the snow fall to the chilled uplifting harmonies of The Stiff Gins. Kthe dark captivating captivating sound of Heath Cullen; and Scottish-born folk singer/songwriter Eric Bogle. Marshall and the Fro, Azadoota; The Woohoo Revue, The Go Set will also perform.

Children are always welcome at the festival with under 15s free with a paying adult, and a dazzling program to shake their socks off. This year the festival has a special Family Fun Day Ticket and for $39 on Saturday or Sunday a parent can get entry to all venues and to the kids stage, entry to all music workshops, a free ride on the Perisher Quad Express and a 10% Family Discount at the new Smiggins Skating Rink.

Poetry is always one of the highlights, with early-risers enjoying the sun rising over the mountains at poetry breakfasts as well as a national poetry competition and a live poetry slam. For further information see the website:- http://www.snowymountainsofmusic.com.au/

See Also - Festival of the Fleeces, Merriwa,  on the Blog Entry June 9
Hunter Valley Gardens FlavourFest 2011, on the Blog Entry June 3

SYDNEY-

Sydney Great Train Weekend
- Central Station 11th - 13th June

75 minute Steam train ride through Sydney. Meet the driver and visit the drivers cab of the veteran steam loco 3265.

http://www.heritageexpress.com.au/

Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival

Revel in a FREE musical extravaganza as the true greats from the world of jazz line up to entertain you. See Australian jazz virtuoso James Morrison, the home-grown songbird Katie Noonan, Sydney Festival’s smash hit 17-piece all girl Sirens Big Band, US legends Topsy Chapman and the Ron Carter Trio, Tina Harrod, Misinterprotato, the Kurt Rosenwinkel Standards Trio, Jeff Duff & the Prophets, the Catholics, Ten Part Invention, the Buddy Knox Blues Band and many more.

Darling Harbour will also attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest saxophone ensemble and the popular Jazz and Yum Cha returns to the Chinese Garden.All the concerts are free. For further information see the web site:- http://www.darlingharbour.com/sydney-Things_To_Do-Darling_Harbour_Jazz_and_Blues_Festival.htm

Royal Botanic Garden's 195th Birthday Party - Monday 13th June

The Queen isn't the only royal to be celebrating her birthday this long weekend. That old flying foxy lady the Royal Botanic Garden will be celebrating her 195th birthday and she never looked better. Everybody is invited including Dorothy, a certain Wiggly rose eating dinosaur, a good effort if you happen to be garden..There is going to be a Daffodil planting, Didgeridoo playing, Fairyland kinda party. If you are good you can ride on the Wish Express, get your face painted, be crafty or just sit on the grass and listen attentively to the story tellers. It is strongly rumoured that Bill AND Ben are coming and there will even be a cake.
For further information see the web site:-

http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/botanicbicenentary2016/195th_birthday_celebration

See Also- Vivid Sydney, on the Blog Entry 26 May