You can set your imagination free at the Macquarie Credit Union DREAM Festival in Dubbo from 18th to 28th October celebrating all forms of creativity – lights and lanterns, pianos on the pavement, music and markets, art competitions, traditional Aboriginal dance. DREAM is an acronym that stands for Dubbo Regional Entertainment Arts and Music.

Make sure not to miss out on:

· Pianos on the Pavement – everyone welcome to participate or listen to the lovely melodies (18 Oct)

· Wabuul River Dreaming – celebrate all things river including lantern decorating (20 Oct)

· Sushi in the Shoyoen Gardens – pre-order your sushi and enjoy the afternoon sun and entertainment (21 Oct)

· Music + Markets | Lights + Lanterns – great afternoon for the family, featuring singer Mojo Juju (27 Oct)

· Zoocoustic – lazy Sunday afternoon vibes in the zoo – perfect way to finish off the weekend (28 Oct)

It’s here! A Midsummers Night’s Dream… the spectacular theme for the wonderful 2018/2019 BOSCARS in Forbes.

The committee is excited to be hosting the BOSCARS to be held on the 8th February 2019 and are looking forward to many businesses participating.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595/96. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, the former queen of the Amazons.

These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies. It almost sounds a bit like business!

The Forbes BOSCARS committee rolls out 11 award categories that culminate in the coveted Business of the Year.

The People’s Choice Awards will be held via an online voting portal. These are Tradie of the Year and the Most Popular Business.

The BOSCARS open on 12th October 2018.

The categories include: Excellence in Social Enterprise, Excellence in Innovation, Excellence in Small Business, Excellence in Business, Excellence in Sustainability, Employer of Choice, Apprentice or Trainee of the Year, Employee of the Year, Young Entrepreneur, Start Up Superstar, Business Leader of the Year, Business of the Year and People’s Choice for Tradie of the Year and Most Popular Business.

Contact Fiona Ferguson on 0407 380 936 or Cheryl Newsom on 0411 211 065 for more information.

Samuel Johnson is an Australian actor, radio presenter, voiceover artist and philanthropist. In 2001 Samuel Johnson was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal (Queen’s New Year’s Honours List) for his services to Australian society and Australian film production.

He has also held the title for GQ Magazine’s Social Force of the Year, received the 2015 Research Australia Advocacy Award which he shares with his sister, Connie Johnson and in 2016 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to cancer research.

In 2003, Samuel rode 1,003.4 kilometres from Sydney to Melbourne on a unicycle to raise $500,000 for children’s cancer charity, Canteen.

Ten years later he decided to ride the unicycle again! This time he would ride around the whole of Australia, raising close to $2 million for the Garvan Institute of Medical Research to find a cure for breast cancer and setting a new Guinness World Record.

This was done to assist Connie to spread her message of breast cancer awareness. A few years on, the Love Your Sister foundation, the charity he founded with Connie, is going strong. Having achieved all the goals he and Connie (who has sadly passed on) set out to achieve, Samuel continues to raise the bar. The current challenge being to raise $10 million for cancer research. Well on his way, having already raised over $4 million, Samuel won’t stop raising awareness until cancer is vanquished.

The Forbes Business Chamber is proud to host a dinner and talk with the remarkable Samuel Johnson on 19th October at 6:30pm at the RSL club as part of the Girls Day Out 2018 event. Men welcome to attend. Get your tickets for only $130 at www.123tix.com.au/events/1863.

It is that time of the year when we all do a little spring cleaning. Clean out the shed or garage of all those unwanted toxic chemicals that aren’t being used or have passed their used by date. The safest way to dispose of potentially hazardous household chemicals is at a ‘Household Chemical CleanOut’ event. Forbes is taking part in this great free event again this year on 19th October.

You can take household quantities of the following household chemicals and items to Forbes Shire Council storage yard in Young Street between the hours of 10am to 1pm. A maximum of 20 litres or 20 kilograms of a single item including:

• Solvents and household cleaners

• Floor care products

• Ammonia-based cleaners

• Pesticides and herbicides

• Poisons

• Pool chemicals

• Hobby chemicals

• Motor fuels

• Fluorescent globes and tubes

• Acids and alkalis

• Smoke detectors

• Paint and paint-related products

• Gas bottles

• Fire extinguishers

• Car and household batteries

• Motor oils and cooking oils

Please make sure you handle and transport chemicals carefully.

It is advised never to mix chemicals as this may produce dangerous reactions so keep all chemicals in their original containers.

Ensure the containers are clearly labelled and well-sealed. If you don’t know the contents, label the container “unknown chemical”.

Keep toxic household chemicals away from passengers, for example, by placing them in the boot of your car.

Contact Council on 6850 2300 to find out more details.

Forbes Small Engine Specialists was established by Paul and Maree Westcott in October 1988.

The first two years were operated from a shed in Oxford Street before purchasing a push bike shop in Cross Street in 1991. Fast forward to 2001 when land was purchased and a new “state of the art” workshop and showroom was built.

Together with well known brands including Polaris, Masport, Kohler Engines (EPG) since the early 90’s and Husqvarna and YCF motorcycles more recently, Forbes Small Engines has continued to grow their business each year.

Today their showroom is packed with a range of Polaris ATV’s, Masport lawn mowers, Husqvarna power products, YCF twowheelers plus all the motorcycle accessories you could possibly need. Spares are well stocked for your lawn mowers, small engines and motorcycles.

The two qualified mechanics, Shane and Curt are valuable employees with over 15 years experience between them helping Paul run the workshop. Plus the office is in great hands with their daughter, Melissa joining the business in 2014.

Paul and Maree also sponsor local events as well as team sponsorship including junior and senior soccer, football, Shows, school fetes and the Forbes Auto Sports Club and many other local fundraisers.

Laybys are welcome, especially coming up to Christmas, plus “free” pickup and delivery offered to customers for repairs when they can’t start their ride-on or motorcycle – this has proven to be very popular with regular customers. Servicing quality products  together with their after sales service, Forbes Small Engines is here to stay!

To celebrate 30 years in business, you are invited to call in on Saturday, 13th October from 9am to 1pm at 25 Union Street and inspect the huge range of products, check out the specials, grab a coffee and enjoy a sausage sizzle. You could also win one of their lucky door prizes. The Polaris Ace will also be drawn on the day.

If you need a lawn mower, new motorcycle, chainsaw or any small engine call in to 25 Union Street and Forbes Small Engine Specialists will be happy to serve you.

Paul and Maree are very proud of their business. They look forward to many more years in business and saying thank you for supporting them over the last 30 years.

Forbes Shire Council has resolved to supply bulk portable water to rural residents of the shire free of charge. Residents are able to attend the Forbes Shire Depot between the hours of 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday.

Residents are asked to clean their containers prior to pick up as Council accepts no responsibility for the quality of water once it has been discharged at the depot.

For safety reasons members of the public are not to drive into the depot area but must report to the office first. Loads should be secure and within load limits of the vehicles.

Registered bulk water carters will need to make contact with the depot to discuss a safe time to enter and use the high capacity hose.

Contact 6850 2370 for more information.

Caravans, mobile homes, travellers and countless visitors will once again converge at Bedgerabong this October for the 10th anniversary of the Bedgerabong Country Music Campout. The event will take place from the 9th to 16th October in what is said to be the biggest and best one yet!

The 10th anniversary welcomes a few changes to celebrate the momentous occasion and to showcase just how the event has grown over the past decade. One of the main changes being the introduction of purchasing tickets on the internet. This new feature has already proven to be a success with many getting in early to secure a discounted gate price.

Another change will be a selection of more artists featured on the Friday. This will consist of Paul Crowder, Tina Podger, Kate Daniel and Bob Gregory, Charmaine Pout, Melissa Robertson, Rick Llambias, Rustic Charm & Co. plus many more.

There will be more Sunday markets, food, coffee and even a display from the Historical Vintage Machinery Club. This year will also see the return of Country Keys & Strings.

Other professional guests appearing this year on the Saturday and Sunday are Amos Morris, Laura Downing, Bill Gray, Emma Jene, Sandi Dodd, Jo and Pamela Reeves, John Smith, Ged and Trudy Hintz and the Blazing Saddles Showband. There will also be the Sports Day, Poetry and Walk-Up competitions, Poets Session and Best of the Walk Up’s. The walk up’s are invited from Tuesday night till Thursday night.

Tickets at $70 for camping and $15 for day admission can be purchased online at https://www.123tix.com.au/events/1240/ bedgerabong-country-music-campout.

Gate prices will be $5 extra for both camping and day admission. Free for children 15 years and under. Dogs MUST be kept on a leash at all times. Gates open at 9.00am.

For more info find us on Facebook at Forbes Country Music Club Inc.