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What's On in Bendigo, April 2023
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As the leaves turn golden and the weather begins to cool down, autumn in Bendigo and the surrounding regions is a magical time of year. And what better way to embrace the season than by enjoying some of the many events happening in and around the city? From art exhibitions to our famous Easter Festival and everything in between, there is something for everyone to enjoy this April. So grab your jacket and your sense of adventure and get ready to explore all that Bendigo has to offer this autumn.
Australiana: Designing a Nation
18 March – 25 June
Check out Australiana: Designing a Nation, exploring the iconography of Australiana in art and design from key chapters in our history to the present day. Curated by and presented exclusively by Bendigo Art Gallery, this expansive exhibition will be showcasing works by over 200 artists and designers including many Australian masterpieces.
Highlights include one of the most recognisable works of Australian art, Tom Robert’s iconic Shearing of the Rams (1890), several bold and joyful works by Ken Done including Sydney Sunday (1982), and Melbourne artist Kenny Pittock’s Melted Bubble’O (2020) to name a few.
Castlemaine State Festival
24 March – 9 April
The Castlemaine State Festival is an incredible 17-day festival full of art, culture, live music and good times under the late-summer skies across several venues in both Castlemaine and Bendigo. You’ll find thrilling new works from Central Victorian artists sitting side-by-side with the very best from around Australia and the world.
Check out the full program here.
Richard Wagner’s Melbourne Opera Ring Cycle
24 March – 30 April
Be catapulted into a world of giants and dwarves, serpents and toads, gods and apples … and this is just the start of the wondrous mystical journey that is Richard Wagner’s Melbourne Opera Ring Cycle.
Performed in the intimate space of the Ulumbarra Theatre, with a 90-piece Melbourne Opera Orchestra, this four-part music drama comprises Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung, performances which in total span 15 hours, featuring some of opera’s most memorable moments.
Kaleidoscope
April 1 - 30
If you’re looking for a fun activity for the whole family, this is it! Explore Kaleidoscope, a gigantic interactive mirror maze of colour and optical illusions of epic proportions. This extraordinary installation will be in Rosalind Park, open by day and night.
Golden Mile Race Day
1 April
Enjoy all that country racing has to offer at Bendigo’s Golden Mile Race Day. Racegoers are encouraged to embrace country casual and enjoy a great day out with family and friends. There’ll be trackside umbrellas, mini marquees and corporate opportunities to choose from, plus dining in Silks restaurant, live music, fashions on the fields and much more.
Bendigo Easter Festival
7-10 April
Held over the Easter long weekend, Bendigo’s beautiful Rosalind Park and surrounding streets will be transformed into a vibrant precinct bursting with family-friendly entertainment for Bendigo Easter Festival. The extensive program includes a hunt for 80,000 Easter Eggs on Good Friday, Carnival Central, the Rotary Market, live music, hands-on activities and performances. Enjoy the Awakening of the Dragon, the O'Brien Plumbing & HVAC Torchlight Procession, concluding with a spectacular firework display over the city, plus the iconic Bendigo Advertiser Gala Parade on Easter Sunday where you’ll experience the excitement of Dai Gum Loong, the world’s longest Imperial Dragon, weaving his way through the historic streetscapes of Bendigo.
View the full program here.
150th Rheola Charity Carnival
10 April
Wood chopping; Sheep Dog Trials; Clay Target Shooting; Horse Training, Show Jumping and Novelty Evants; "Miss Rheola" Carnival Girl; Rheola Gift Footraces; Lucky Envelopes; Hoopla, Spinning Wheel and move novelty events for all ages (including Bowling at Wicket, Kicking Football, Sheaf Tossing Contest, Egg Throwing, Sheep Judging Competition, Novelty Rides, Golf, Nearest The Pin).
Small Stationary Engines (Displayed by Wedderburn, Maryborough and Mt Alexander Clubs), Classic Cars and Ute Display, Vintage Tractor Pull pre-1954.
Fruit and Lolly Stall, Luncheon Booth, Afternoon Tea, Barbeque Tea, Ice Cream and Soft Drinks.
Events kick off from 10:30am onwards. Sheep-dog trials start at 8am.
Find out more here
Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival
22 April
Bendigo’s Winegrowers are back in the leafy Rosalind Park for the open-air, Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival, in the heart of Bendigo. For one day only the festival will be a celebration of the region’s exceptional wines, the people who make them and another successful vintage. In addition to 100+ wines available for tasting, there is delicious food, fun entertainment, competitions and live music throughout the day. Bring your picnic blanket and your favourite people to kick back in the cool park shade, as you discover the region’s best white, red, rose and sparkling wine styles.
Groovin the Moo
29 April
Australia's favourite regional touring festival, Groovin the Moo, is back in Bendigo in 2023! Live music is back and we’re excited to hear rock out to the sounds of Alt-J, Amy Shark, Ball Park Music, Denzel Curry, Fatboy Slim, Ocean Alley, Skeggs and many more. This is their only Victorian show and will sell out.
The O’Keefe Challenge
29 April and 6 May
It’s time to get out and about and get active! Follow the spectacular O'Keefe Rail Trail spanning from Bendigo to Heathcote, as it weaves its way through bushland, open fields, farms, and past Lake Eppalock with The O'Keefe Challenge.
Choose your challenge from the Light the Trail Night Ride to a Marathon (42.2km), Half Marathon (21.1km), Ekiden Relay, 10km Fun Run, 5km Run / Walk Against Dementia, Kids Dash and 500m events.
All information on events and imagery courtesy of: Bendigoregion.com.au
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