Following a successful innaugural event last year, the Rotary Club of Forbes Ipomoea will again host the Forbes Vintage & Collectables Fair on Saturday, 6th May at the Forbes Town Hall.

Head along to view displays and collections from eras past. Travel through time looking at items for display and for sale and remember things from your childhood or your grandparent’s lives.

There will be a large selection of items for viewing and as well for sale, ranging from dolls to bears, crockery to kitchen containers, glassware to bottles, vintage giftware and a mystery item competition where festival goers have to guess and vote on the origin or use of a mystery item. Fair goers will also be treated with tea and scones all day. Entry is by gold coin donation.

For more information or to express your interest in adding to the displays or trading tables ph 0413 274 735 or 0439 708 456.

Forbes Heritage Celebrations is a beloved event on the Forbes calendar each year. Held during the National Trust’s Australian Heritage Festival: 10th April – 14th May. Forbes Heritage is an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate all the wonderful aspects of heritage and history that colour our community. 

Thank ABBA For The Music 2023 Tour.

ABBA fans get excited as Björn Again bring ABBA’s timeless hits back to the stage in a sing-along, dance-along extravaganza. Heading to Cowra for the very first time, the show will be absolute not to be missed!

Björn Again are “One of the most entertaining rock shows in the world today” (Time Out, New York) and will play all the biggest ABBA hits from Waterloo, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! and Fernando to Take a Chance, Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, and more!! With all the glitzy 70s costumes, Swenglish banter and hilarious stage antics, you will have the ‘time of your life’.

Their critically acclaimed shows have been attended by Tom Jones, Dave Grohl, Paul Kelly, Metallica, Robert Plant, Bill Gates and Nirvana just to name a few.

“Björn Again are Phonomenal in every sense of the word!” – The Stage UK

“I like Björn Againbecause they are the ABBA for this generation. Why should we miss out?” – David Lawrence UK.

Björn Again have performed over 7,000 shows in more than 120 countries worldwide, are endorsed by the members of ABBA and are regarded as the most successful tribute show of all time.

So what are you waiting for? Dust off those flares, platform shoes and satins and send out an SOS and Ring Rin and come along to Björn Again’s Thank ABBA For The Music 2023 Tour.

The concert will be held on Friday, 14th April at Sid Kallas Oval, Cowra. Gates open at 5:30pm. Tickets will be on sale soon via www.123tix.com.au.

Craft and clothing being sorted for the Pop-Up Shop this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Fat Parcel in Eugowra received donations of barista Almond Milk from Islamic Council of Queensland.

The Forbes CWA Evening Branch has received a container full of donations for flood affected communities. The donations have been very generously collected by the Islamic Council of Queensland. Forbes Shire Council asked Forbes CWA Evening Branch to take on the job of distributing the items.

“We are ready to open our Pop-Up Op Shop this Friday 17th, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th March at the Forbes Showground Commercial Pavilion,” said Ms Robyn Miller, President of Oxley CWA Group. 

Doors will open on Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm. If there are enough volunteers and items to sell, the Pop-Up Op Shop may run the same days next week as well. If you would like to assist, please head along.

Prices will range from $2, with designer clothing from $10. All proceeds of the Op-Shop will stay within the area. “It would be fantastic if we could sell all these donations and give those who are flood affected some vouchers to help them return to their homes,” said Ms Miller.

Women of all ages, from across Forbes came together to celebrate International Women’s Day this week.

The sun rose on another annual International Women’ Day in Forbes’ Lions Park, setting the scene for soothing yoga, a hearty breakfast and a soul-warming address from guest speaker, communications guru, Dr Neryl East.

Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM welcomed the wisdom and advice from Dr East on removing barriers to embracing equity in business, in the community and everyday life.

“Forbes has such a wealth of knowledge, capabilities and strength in our women and so often we can unknowingly limit our presence by not having that belief in ourselves, that confidence. Dr East spoke of some simple ways in which that can be addressed,” Phyllis said.

“She provided practical tips on how to communicate in business settings, for example just through the language you use. Simple things like using the phrases; ‘in my view’ or ‘in my opinion’ to give weight to your learnedness.”

Dr East also highlighted the importance of personal (internal) communication, through which negative self-talk is the most significant way to erode confidence.

Positive affirmations, such as those used by Olympic swimmers (of which she had some great anecdotes), remove negativity and set the focus of what you are setting out to achieve.

The IWD breakfast was hosted by Forbes Shire Council with funding assistance from the NSW Government.

The event is held each year to embrace the vital role women play in our community, whether it be in the workforce, the community or at home.

Dr East also addressed a number of business representatives on Tuesday night, providing insight into online reputations and business reputations.

“We thank Dr East for her time in Forbes, and look forward to seeing her advice come into play,” said Phyllis. 

Exciting news for local creatives who are invited to showcase their work as part of the upcoming Unknown Art Exhibition, hosted by the Forbes Arts Society. 

Based on the national Incognito Art Show, Unknown is an inclusive, community art exhibition – with a twist.

So, what’s the twist? All artworks are exhibited anonymously. Only once an artwork is purchased will the artist’s name be revealed to the buyer on the back of the artwork.

All artworks are 30.5cm x 30.5cm in size. Every piece of artwork will go on sale for $100, regardless of artist – beginner, emerging or professional.

Residents from Forbes, Parkes and Eugowra are welcome to register for free, and will be supplied with a canvas. 3D entries that fit within 30cm x 30cm x 30cm will also be accepted. 

An exhibition opening event will be held on Friday, 31st March. The exhibition will then be on public display until Monday, 3rd April (location TBC). 

For more information and for the conditions of entry, head to www.forbesartssociety.com.

Margaret Dwyer’s Author talk held at the Parkes Shire Library.

The Festival of Seniors at Parkes Shire Library was in full swing last week with seniors from throughout Parkes Shire popping in to get involved. 

Margaret Dwyer’s Author Talk on Friday was the perfect main event of the first week, highlighting the talents of seniors in the region and inspiring attendees. Margaret’s talk covered everything from what encouraged her to write, her family and how she got published. Margaret’s four books are available at the Parkes Shire Library for borrowing. 

The fun continues in the library this week, so head along to check out your friends in the 70s on the photo board and listen to the best tunes on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. 

Finish it all off in spectacular fashion by attending the Seniors Library Lock In on Friday 10th February, beginning at 6pm. There will be games, snacks and plenty of time to chew the fat about the ‘good old days’. This is a booked event so please give the Library a call on 6861 2309 if you would like to attend. It is guaranteed to be a hoot!

Victor Trevino Jr is 27 and grew up in Texas. He is rated as one of the top Elvis Tribute Artists in the world, and will be performing every day of the festival.

Victor Trevino Jr. is the current International Champion for the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition awarded by Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) in August 2022. For the first time in its history the Parkes Elvis Festival will have two feature artists: Victor Trevino Jr and Dean Z, both from the US.

Have you ever performed in Australia? I’ve worked and performed for audiences all over Australia for many years in a show called “American Trilogy”. I’m no longer part of that production but I always enjoyed the love of the Australian fan base.

How do you feel about performing at the Parkes Elvis Festival? I’m excited to come and perform. Many of my colleagues have many wonderful things to say about the experience. From the band, the venues, the administration, the festivities, the weather, area and the fans. I heard there is no other Elvis Festival like it.

What can fans expect from your shows? The fans can expect me to give my all in every single performance. Some performances will be the 100% Elvis Tribute. Full hair and costume, dance moves, voice, which is a lot of fun. Obviously I love it….that’s how I make my living. Other shows will be myself performing Elvis songs as me, not as ‘Elvis’, which is a lot of fun too and audiences really appreciate the authenticity and honesty in those types of shows.

I will also be premiering a new show called ‘Elvis reimagined’ performing some of my favourite Elvis songs in my own way. Some have a vintage feel and others have a modern feel. But all of them will be different from Elvis’s arrangements. Very excited to show a different way of sharing the music of Elvis to this audience.

When did you get interested in Elvis’s music? When was the first time you heard it? I always loved older music. Music of rock ‘n roll, blues, rhythm and blues jazz of all arrows. I went through a phase where I loved 80s music and then I got into 70s music and then I got into 60s music in the 50s and that’s when I really got more into Elvis in the mail and dollar quartet. Of course, I really have a huge love for the music that influenced Elvis. Late 40s and early 50s rhythm and blues. Rock ‘n roll before it was rock ‘n roll.

The first time I ever heard Elvis was when I was a kid as my dad played all kinds of music. I grew up in a very musical family. Many of my uncles were mariachis on my father’s side and my grandfather played bass for the legendary BB King many times touring around Texas. I really enjoyed Elvis but it wasn’t until later when I really got into it and discovered what an influence he was. What he did for music and how he crossed the boundaries and brought ‘white’ and ‘black’ music together has really changed the world.

I thought his style was cool, I thought he had a cool swag about him. Great hair, stylish wardrobe, and what a voice! At first, I didn’t know too much about him, but I knew he was different and what he did was important. I only became an Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA) into my 20s. I was already a musician and an actor and I kind of stumbled upon being an ETA. I really began to do more and more research and met fellow fans and colleagues of Elvis himself. It really opened up a new and interesting world.

Do you think the younger generations will keep on listening to him? I do hope so. I feel the Elvis movie is going to help that. I think it’s interesting how in the movie they mix modern music with Elvis‘s music. It is called sampling and it has been happening for many years in hip-hop and rap music. It was done in a way that was very well executed. Times, entertainment and music will always change and evolve, whether we like it or not. So I think it was very smart to mix modern pop sounds with Elvis music in the movie.

Any more thoughts on the Elvis movie? I thought it was great. Was it historically accurate? Absolutely not. But it did have a lot of good information and it was very entertaining. It was shot in the iconic Baz Luhrmann style which made it even more interesting. It has brought a whole new audience and love to Elvis from a younger generation. I’ve heard many people in the Elvis tribute community say that an ETA should’ve played the role. I highly disagree. I think Austin Butler did a great job and it was best that an idol and heartthrob, who already has a big fan base, play the role. Not only to boost ticket sales, also to boost interest in Elvis. Graceland is now doing wonderful and is having more and more visitors thanks to the movie. Baz Luhrmann has always been one of my favourite directors ever since I saw his first film Strictly Ballroom. I love every single one of his movies. When I heard that Baz Luhrmann was reading an Elvis movie.… I knew it was gonna be magic.

Do you have a favourite Elvis song? I cannot pick just one. If I had to pick just one it would probably change every day because I love so many of them. That is what makes his music so unreal and so amazing because everyone in the world can relate to it, no matter where you’re from no matter who you are.