https://canowindrachallenge.org.au/cabonne-community-balloon-glow/

The Cabonne Community Glow is back this year and promises to an amazing spectacle with balloons lighting up the night sky at this fantastic regional event.

This experience includes night markets complete with food and wine stalls, entertainment and the highlight of the evening, the Cabonne Community Glow – a magical experience where you’ll see hot air balloons lighting up their burners synced to all new music under the beautiful evening skies in the Central West.

Gates open from 3pm at the Tom Cly-burn Oval in Canowindra. Tickets are $10 for adults (18+) and $2 for children under 18 plus a booking fee. Due to COVID-19 regulations, all attendees must enter their names including the names of children. Book your tickets at 123tix.com.au

SUPER MEGA FUN DAY OUT: Come down to Lions Park at 10am Saturday April 24 as Forbes Youth Week celebrations wrap culminating in the announcement of the Youth Week Awards. Pic courtesy of Forbes Shire Council.

Forbes Youth Week wraps this weekend with a Super Mega Fun Day on Saturday April 24 with a concert featuring local performers.

The event has fun activities and games for children of all ages with a Mechanical Bull, Climbing Rock Wall and a Bungee Run. Awards will also be presented for; Youth Citizen of the Year and more.

This year’s Youth Week celebrations wraps up with the following:

Movie Night: On Friday 23rd April between 6pm – 9pm Forbes Shire Council will be holding an outdoor movie night featuring the comedy “The Heat”.

Super Mega Fun Day: To complete the celebrations a Youth Concert will be held at Lions Park on Saturday 24th April 2021 10am – 2pm. The park will be filled with entertainment such as rock climbing walls, mechanical bull, bungee run, pedal boats, giant games and food vans.

2021 Youth Awards: The announcement of the official Youth Week Awards will also take place during the day. Bring along the whole family, a chair or blanket and sit back and enjoy the amazing line up of artists performing.

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST BOGAN: Ryan Bogan Edwards with Benny Parslow at the 2019 event at Bogan Gate.

After a COVID enforced lay-off of nearly two years, Australia’s Biggest Bogan Festival tickets go on sale from Monday, 1 March.

The 2021 edition of the event will be held at the Bedgerabong Racecourse from Friday June 11 – Sunday June 13 with nearly all the action on Saturday.

Organiser Luke Acheson said initial tickets would be capped at 1000 with the possibility of adding more pending COVID restrictions.

“The beauty of the venue is not only have the Bedgerabong Picnic Race Club successfully run a COVID event with the races this month but they have the room should anything change and we are able to alter numbers,” Luke said.

“Chris Franklin, Hype Duo, Benny Bogan, Balls n All and The Noll Brothers featuring Shannon Noll will also be on hand,” he said.

There will also be the crowning of the Best Dazza and Shazza as well as Australia’s Biggest Bogan 2021.

Tickets start at day pass $60 (for patrons with their own transport), $70 for those wanting the bus and $80 for campers. Go to – https://boganfestival.wixsite.com/2021

2019 Miss Forbes Showgirl Molly Fuge.

Agricultural show and field day organisers that cancelled their events in 2020 because of COVID 19 now have another opportunity to recover eligible expenses and receive a much-needed cash boost as events kick off for the 2021 year.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said that eligible shows and field days approved under the Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days Program are now being invited to submit supplementary expense claims.

“Almost $34 million in cash has been rolled out to the 378 shows and field days approved for funding for costs paid from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020,” David said.

“Our shows and field days have been diligently preparing to come back bigger and better in 2021 and have continued to rack up legitimate expenses.

“Now they will be able to claim additional eligible expenditure not included in their initial application, provided they haven’t exceeded the funding cap for their show size.”

Agricultural shows and field days are at the heart of rural and regional communities and David wants to encourage all Australians to get out and support them this year, “I will be getting out to my local shows in Queensland over the coming months and am certainly looking forward to seeing first-hand our communities and volunteers in action.

“The Australian Government is committed to ensuring organisers of these events are in the best position possible to continue in 2021 and beyond,” he said.

Supplementary expense claims under the Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days Program will be treated similarly to original applications in relation to assessment and decision making.

Eligible shows and field day organisers will be contacted directly with an invitation to make a supplementary claim for the period 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2020.

They will be assessed, and results are expected to be notified before 31 March 2021.

Australia’s Biggest Bogan Festival is back, bigger and more bogan than ever with the announcement that the 2021 edition will be held at the Bedgerabong Racecourse on the June long weekend, 11 to 13 June. It will be the second time the festival has been held but the first time in the Forbes Shire after the success of the 2019 event at Bogan Gate.

“Forbes Shire and the Bedgerabong Picnic Race Committee have been tremendously supportive and proactive,” said festival organiser Luke Acheson, “the Bedgerabong Racecourse is a top-quality venue and home to not only significant regional events, but also one of the oldest race meetings in Australia.

“We are extremely pleased with the new home of Australia’s Biggest Bogan Festival, as it provides us with more options, from higher capacity and camping, through to streamlined transport,” Luke said.

This year’s event will see the return of the same bogan royalty who made the inaugural trip to Bogan Gate in 2019, including Hype Duo, Chris Franklin, The Noll Brothers and Been Bogan as MC.

“We have more announcements and surprises in store, so watch this space,” Luke said, “though we can confirm many of the old favourites, such as husband calling, best dad bod, and worst smile will be back.

“Additionally, I can also announce that Turkey gobbling has been added to the schedule of events and all winners from 2019 will be granted free entry as defending champions.” Local and regional residents, from volunteers, sponsors and musicians are encouraged to message via the Australia’s Biggest Bogan Festival Facebook page if they want to get involved.