Forbes is in for a fantastic musical treat this month when one of Australia’s most dynamic chamber music groups will give a concert at the Forbes Town Hall as part of the Music in the Regions’ Winter tour. Omega Ensemble will perform a high-energy program from Mozart’s cherished Clarinet Quintet to the world premiere of a new contemporary Australian work by Australian composer Carl Vine on Friday, 22nd July.

Audiences on the Winter Regional Tour will be among the first in the world to hear the new work by legendary Carl Vine, which Omega Ensemble commissioned especially for the program. 

“Omega Ensemble are lauded nationwide for their exceptional world-class performances, an incredible cultural experience these regional audiences would usually have to travel to a city for but can now enjoy close to home,” said Music in the Regions Executive Director, Janine Collins. 

Founded in 2005, Omega Ensemble has a mission to champion extraordinary Australian musical talent through high-energy and impactful performance. The Ensemble presents an annual National Touring Program to metropolitan and regional cities across Australia and frequently appears in national cultural festivals. They have also twice toured to China, delivering concerts and masterclasses in Shanghai and Beijing. 

“At the heart of our Ensemble are the musical stories we share and the special connections we make with our audiences. We love performing all around Australia, but we haven’t played in Western NSW since 2018. It is such a beautiful region and we are delighted we can return again this year. After the past few years, we have really missed travelling!” said Omega Ensemble Artistic Director, David Rowden.

To book tickets, visit www.musicintheregions.com 

Turning Tables is set to hit the stage at The Little Theatre in Parkes from tomorrow night after over 12 months of rehearsals and cancellations due to COVID-19.

Going off reviews from community members invited to the preview on Sunday, it’s going to be another hit for the Parkes Musical and Dramatic Society. The praise afterwards included: “An excellent show…has to be seen”, “I absolutely loved it and will be coming back again!”, “Fresh, fun, powerful, provocative, moving and memorable”, “Incredible show” and “Took my breath away – just an amazing production from start to finish”.

With a script written by the Parkes M & D’s stellar director Lyn Townsend, Turning Tables tells the story of five women (Christie Green, Christa Radley, Shev Brown, Ruth Barnes and Maddi Collits), all different, all unique with their own ‘baggage’ to carry.

During the course of the show, each of the women take you on their journey, the relationships they have endured and the strength and resilience they gain from the friendships they forge with each other, despite the differences in age or social status. There are four male roles, all played by one token guy (Aaron Kingham).

With songs like Can’t fight the Moonlight, Stronger, Girls just wanna have fun, Because of you, Holding out for a hero, Born this way, Warrior, Jesus take the Wheel, Danger Zone, I’m so Excited, This is me, and many more, there is bound to be a song you know and love.

Turning Tables will play over three weekends. Tickets are available from www.parkesmandd.com.au or at the theatre box office an hour before any show, or on Sundays from 10am to 1pm. If you live out of town, email parkesmandd2870@gmail.com to request tickets be reserved or call 0429 623 829 after 5:30pm. The production is not suited for children under 14 due to adult themes, but for adults, this is just a fantastic outing!

The Queen’s Birthday Holiday was celebrated on Monday in NSW following the celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee from 2nd to 5th June. (Photo: Geo News)

Why did we celebrate the Queen’s Birthday Holiday on Monday, 13th June, when Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21st April 1926? 

Even more confusingly, why is it that the ACT, NSW, NT, SA, Tasmania and Victoria celebrate the Queen’s Birthday Holiday on the second Monday of June each year, but in Western Australia and Queensland the holiday is celebrated in October? 

It turns out that the holiday has origins long before Queen Elizabeth II. The holiday tradition started in 1788 when Arthur Phillip, the Governor of NSW at the time, established the holiday to celebrate the birthday of King George III, the first European king of Australia. 

The birthday was always celebrated on the actual date of the monarch’s birthday until 1936, the year of the death of King George V, Elizabeth’s grandfather. His birthday was 3rd June and the date has since stayed around early June. 

Western Australia chooses to forgo the holiday in June since the previous Monday is already set aside for Foundation Day. In Queensland, the Labor Bligh government changed the Queen’s Birthday in 2012 from the traditional June date to the first weekend of October to better spread out the public holidays in the second half of the year. 

Honour’s lists are proclaimed twice a year in Australia. The Australia Day list is on 26th January, and the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List is proclaimed on the June date each year. 

IMAGE CREDIT: https://sydneyhotshots.com/

The hunks from Sydney Hotshots will be in Forbes to sizzle and seduce for one night with a brand-new killer show at the Forbes Services Club on Thursday, 23rd June! 

The two-hour production is a visual feast, choreographed and developed by Australia’s leading professionals. The hand-picked selection of dreamy guys will have the ladies up from their chairs, screaming for more. 

A high energy production, the show boasts the perfect mix of killer dance routines, eye-catching costumes, acrobatics and jaw dropping athletic male physiques. The smorgasbord of sexy guys were selected from hundreds of men nationwide and put though an intensive “Hotshots Bootcamp”, all graduating with an A+ in hip thrusting! The fellas come from various backgrounds from tradies, cops, farmers and even fireman to tour Australia and entertain the ladies! 

Hosted by seasoned professional Paul Reynolds (original cast member of Manpower Australia and Las Vegas headliner), his showmanship and cheeky banter with audiences makes for an extra entertaining evening. 

You can win a VIP double pass to see The Sydney Hotshots Live by entering the competition on this page. 

Author Justin Smith will be at the Forbes Library on 21st June at 1pm to talk about his book Cooper Not Out.

Forbes bookworms have something to look forward to when author Justin Smith will be in town to talk about his book Cooper Not Out on 21st June at 1pm. 

The book is a heart-warming tale about an unlikely hero and is part of the One Library One Book innovative community reading program that encourages everyone in the region to read and discuss the same book at the same time. Books have been distributed across the Central West Libraries network including Forbes. 

Pick up a copy at Forbes Library, read it and join in the conversation. There’s no better time to curl up and read a good book now that winter is upon us. 

Cooper Not Out is a funny, heart-warming novel set against a backdrop of real events in the summer of 1984 when the West Indian cricket team was touring Australia. It is moving and highly original tale about friendship and belief, and the joy of being true to yourself and discovering your greatest potential. 

“I’m thrilled Cooper Not Out has been chosen for the One Library, One Book initiative,” Justin said. 

Please call Forbes Library on 6852 1463 or book online via Eventbrite.com.au.