This season, join us for the hottest winter celebration of the year – the Winter Fire Festival. Running across two weekends from the 4th – 13th August, the Winter Fire Festival showcases Orange and the villages of Blayney and Cabonne at their winter best! The festival program comprises a range of events in our region’s cellar doors, restaurants, villages, and other venues that celebrate the magic of winter. 

The chill of winter is no match for the warmth of Orange’s hospitality. The region’s charming cafes, pubs, cellar doors, and restaurants offer cosy retreats complete with crackling fireplaces, comfortable armchairs, and friendly locals eager to share stories. Sample freshly roasted coffee, savour house-made specialties, or enjoy a warming glass of local award-winning red wine. 

Close to home, is WoodFired Eugowra which is happening on Saturday, 5th August. Nothing ignites the soul like an afternoon with friends and family along the Mandagery Creek. Be warmed by the crackling fire as you take in local artisan food including woodfired pizza and low and slow meat. Sample regional wine, cider, and beer whilst you sit back and enjoy live music from local musicians. The kids will be entertained with a jumping castle, face painting and their own food options. Bring the family and venture to Eugowra for a cosy Saturday afternoon! This is a free event but registration is required to secure entry. 

Orange360 General Manager, Ned Sweetapple commented, “We’re proud to showcase what we love about this region in winter. The Winter Fire Festival is our regions antidote to the cold and is the opportunity to celebrate all the good things about our Winter season and the fun to be had! Hearty, warming meals, sipping cold climate wine and artisan drinks around the bonfire, sharing stories, music, dance and laughter with friends and strangers under starry crystal-clear skies.

Bookings for all events during the festival can be made by visiting Orange360’s website, www.orange360.com.au

Rising stars of Austraslian country music, Hurricane Fall will be the headlining act at Forbes’ inaugural Sundown Sounds on Lake Forbes. The event will take place at Lions Park on 5th August, with music starting at 5:45pm.

This high energy country rock band will be joined by Katie Jayne and band, and our very own Gracey Denham-Jones.

Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM said the inaugural Sundown Sounds event is a definite nod to our country roots.

“I am looking forward to pulling on the boots for an evening of good food, good music and great times with old and new friends” Mayor Miller said.

You can check out Council’s Facebook event to listen to the Sundown Sounds Spotify Playlist. Sundown Sounds is a free event funded by the NSW Government.

“Grab your mates, grab your esky and join us by the lake for what is sure to be an epic evening of live music.”

Sundown Sounds is a BYO event. Food vans and a bucking mechanical bull will be available. All ages are welcome.

Tickets are free, but essential and are available to online at www.123tix.com.au/events/37984/forbes-sundown-sounds

 

The Forbes Business Chamber will be hosting special guest, actor Samuel Johnson, for breakfast on the 20th July at Club Forbes. 

Samuel Johnson has long been advocating for Precision Medicine as a standard of care for all Australian cancer patients. Access to clinical trials and the latest technologies is currently not available outside major population centres. Love Your Sister has initiated a multi-partner, multi-million-dollar expansion to correct the inequity.

Love Your Sister has partnered with Macquarie University, and selected the Dubbo region to be the first trial. 

Love Your Sister has committed $1.2M to a world-first, co-designed sustainable model for clinical trials that draws on local resources and expertise as well as those of the government, university and pharmaceutical sectors. 

Most importantly, the patient wins. This impactful initiative will help patients stay close to home and their support networks rather than being required to travel long distances to receive the latest treatments. 

Love Your Sister has already funded half and is relying on businesses and community leaders from Dubbo and other communities to help meet our commitment.

“This world-first model only works if everyone gets on board, including individuals, local community groups and businesses, not only from Dubbo but the surrounding towns as well,” said Samuel Johnson.

All eyes will be on Dubbo and surrounds as Love Your Sister, the Oncology Department at Dubbo Hospital, the Western NSW Clinical Trial Support Unit, NSW Health and Macquarie University initiate a model for bringing international standard clinical trials to regional, rural and remote locations.

Chamber members are entitled to one free ticket, please email the chamber to register your business delgate. Additional tickets are available at www.123tix.com.au/events/39534/putting-the-heart-in-your-business-breakfast-with-samuel-johnson 

Not Now Darling is a British farcical comedy featuring minks, mistresses, mobsters and mistaken identities, including scantily clad women hiding in cupboards! This production is the directorial debut for Parkes M&D member Hannah Symonds, who has over 20 years of theatrical experience and graced the Parkes M&D stage as Elphaba in the 2021 production of Wicked.

Not Now Darling follows the flamboyant Gilbert Bodley (Aaron Kingham) as he schemes to seduce the beautiful stripper Janie McMichael (Lisa Ramsay) by offering her an exquisite £5,000 mink coat.

Unfortunately, Janie’s husband, Harry McMichael (Benson O’Donnell), mustn’t know about the affair so the coat is offered to Harry at an excellent price of £500, with Gilbert paying the remainder.

Harry realises the bargain and instead buys the coat for his curvaceous secretary Sue Lawson (Hannah Symonds). Gilbert is shocked by this turn in events and both he and his nervous assistant Arnold Crouch (Russell Tanswell) are further embarrassed when Janie refuses to leave the salon by stripping down. Their frenzied attempts to retrieve the coat from Sue and hide the naked Janie are further complicated by the unexpected arrival of Gilbert’s wife Maude Bodley (Lyn Townsend).

Meanwhile, Arnold’s method of hiding any discarded ladies underwear is to throw them out the window, leaving the salon’s spinster secretary Miss Tipdale (Jessica Morgan) to retrieve the garments and any other items tossed from the window. The hilarious events at the salon are interrupted by the elderly couple Mr. and Mrs. Frencham (Steve McGrath and Ruth Barnes) as they navigate the law, as well as the beautiful fur model Miss Whittington (Gyhaan Edwards).

Opening 15th July to the 30 th July 2023. A group ticket discount of buy five get one free will apply. Head to the website for more details. www.parkesmandd.com.au

GET THE FACTS ABOUT THE VOICE REFERENDUM 

Australia is having a conversation about the Voice referendum being held later this year. It’s about whether we should change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. The Parkes Shire Library has information booklets available that have been issued by the Australian Government providing information on how a referendum works; the referendum question and constitutional amendment; what the Voice is and what would it do?

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

Board Games Day Friday: Families are invited to drop into Parkes Library to enjoy playing a board game with friends and family. Friday 7 July during library opening hours. FREE event. 

Kids Flicks @ Parkes Library: For students in Kindergarten to Year 6. Come and enjoy a junior movie and popcorn! Wednesday 12 July, 10:30am – 12pm. FREE event in person bookings essential. 

Picasso Faces: Learn about Picasso and play a game to create an art-work in his style. Tullamore Library Wednesday 12 July, 11:30am – 1pm. $2pp, bookings essential on 6861 2309.

Paint Like A Pro: Learn about Pro Hart and create an artwork using his methods. Peak Hill Library Thursday 13 July. $2pp, bookings essential on 6861 2309.

LITTLE BANG DISCOVERY CLUB RETURNS TO PARKES LIBRARY

Young scientists and their lab assistants gathered in Parkes Library during June for the Little Bang Discovery Club. The children made amazing discoveries by predicting, testing, conducting experiments and more! Stay tuned for information on future sessions of Little Bang Discovery Club.

YOUTH LIBRARY LOCK-IN

Young people aged 12-18 years are invited to come to our popular Library Lock-In event. Enjoy games, a free dinner and exclusive use of the Parkes Library. Monday 31 July, 5:30-8pm. Bookings open 17 July at events.humanitix.com/July23youthlockin