Leisure
-

Big turnout expected for Taradale Festival
Now in its 16th year, the Taradale Mineral Springs Festival is confirmed for Sunday March 9 from 10am to 4pm. Awarded Mount Alexander Shire Community Event of the year 2024, the festival is a major feature on the central Victorian calendar for the Labour Day long weekend. The Mineral Springs Festival Committee is planning to…
-

Try your hand at bridge
Do you enjoy playing cards and making new friends? If so, the Macedon Ranges Bridge Club invites you to its Learn to Play Bridge classes that begin on March 3. “Bridge is a fantastic card game that challenges the mind and keeps us mentally active. It can take a little effort to learn but provides…
-

Come to a garden party
Enjoy a day filled with music, wholesome food and good company at a Garden Party Fundraiser for the Arts Centre Melbourne at Woodbine, Kyneton. Don your linens, floaty florals and wide brimmed hats, and come armed with your picnic rug, umbrella and friends. A live jazz band will provide entertainment, and picnic boxes by local…
-

Swing and jive at Malmsbury
The Kwela Swingsters make a welcome return to the Malmsbury Town Hall this Saturday, to get the crowd jumping with pennywhistle jive music. Since their last dance night in Malmsbury, the seven band members have been getting on with other projects, but now it’s time to get the band back together. The infectious kwela grooves…
-

Fringe program to launch
The Castlemaine Fringe Festival, a longstanding fixture in the region’s independent arts scene, will officially launch its 2025 program this Friday with a special event in Mechanics Lane. The evening will kick off at 7pm with live music, including an appearance by local band aplegate launching their new single. The event will be the perfect…
-

Unearth treasures at the antique fair
The 17th annual Maldon Antique Fair will see antique and collectibles enthusiasts from across the country and the globe descend on the historic town this weekend, February 15 and 16. The fair will once again be held at the Bill Woodfull Reserve and gates open at 8am each day. Maldon Antique Fair coordinator Mark Blytheau…
-

All aboard the Valentine Express
The Valentine Express is rolling into Castlemaine and Maldon this February 14. A carefully curated three-course dinner with views of the beautiful Victorian Goldfields countryside is an enchanting way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Share an intimate meal, toast to new memories and let the magic of the railway set the scene for an unforgettable evening.…
-

The dark and sweet side of chocolate
Such Sweet Sorrow: The Darker Side of Our Chocolatiers and Confectioners is coming to the Woodend Library in time for Library Lovers’ Day on Friday, February 14. Starting with an exploration of the dark and tragic stories of confectioners in the district using local archival records, the presentation draws on material from the Bendigo Regional…
-

Toni Childs – a retrospective
Join the legendary Toni Childs for a special two-hour performance as she celebrates her life’s musical works. Toni will be performing hits and fan favourites from Union, House of Hope, the Woman’s Boat and Keep the Faith in the first hour of her show then the second hour will be an introduction to Toni’s new…
-

A world-class cultural experience
Local flamenco enthusiasts are urged to get down to Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal on Sunday February 16 for a very special concert event headlined by acclaimed Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco Lara. Acknowledged as the most prominent flamenco guitarist living in Australia, Paco Lara and his troupe are a world-class musical and cultural experience not to be…
-

Meander the market
If you are looking for a fun way to enjoy the long weekend, Castlemaine Artists Market is happening Sunday January 26! Meander through the stalls showcasing quality hand-crafted items and have a chat with the makers themselves. Delicious food and drink will be available with live music by Ced Le Meledo on the grass, demonstrations…
-

Invest in your food producers
This Australia Day weekend you have the opportunity to stock up on great locally produced foods and in doing so, invest in the central Victorian farming and food-producing families who have been supplying quality foods to the Macedon Ranges and beyond for the past 21 years. Visits to the Lancefield and District Farmers Market commence…

