Where’s Wally? He’s right there. He’s the only one wearing a red-and-white-striped shirt amongst all the black puffer jackets.
What’s he thinking? He’ll catch his death of cold. And so it has come that we stare down three months of winter with all the enthusiasm of a cat approaching bath time.
They say there are two types of people who talk about the weather: weatherpersons and jerks. Given I am prone to shoot the strong westerly breeze about the weather and I am no weatherperson, I guess that makes me the latter. And I’ll wear that like a badge of dishonour. It is the ultimate small talk to have with supermarket cashiers as they silently judge your dietary choices. She’s a cold one out there today. Yep, sure is. It’s an easy, pleasant enough transaction – if not occasionally stilted. Still, it rolls more smoothly than big talk. What’s with all those atrocities? Did you hear about Wally? The poor dude had a heart attack, right there in the street. He was only 38. He was super easy to find, though. No puffer jacket. In this weather! There is always medium talk, but asking about my cashier’s weekend plans as they scan my meal-for-one feels like a rom-com no one wants to see. Coming this winter to the Hallmark Channel, Vincent Kamploff and Justine Langston star in Supermarket Sweets.
Like letting a stranger pet your dog, weather talk is something one largely endures rather than in which they enthusiastically engage. At the beginning of the season it’s not too bad. The wee confirmation rush we receive when someone agrees that, yes, it is hard getting out of bed at the moment, hits just right. But, as winter runs deep and warm wardrobes begin to lose their muster, the so-called conversational purgatory of weather takes full hold, forcing the same interaction over and over again, with each one requiring the summoning of ungodly strength to commit to the task at hand. Looks like rain. Yep, at least the ducks will be happy. The sun’s out but it’s still bloody cold. Yep, she’s trying. The weather is crazy today. Yep, she’s an indoors one for sure. I can’t wait for the warmer weather. Jerks… every last one of us.
I hope you enjoy June’s festivals and events…
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
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Ballarat Pride Month
Ballarat – throughout June
If you’re a freak like me, wave your flag
Pride Month took shape back in 1969, following the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests. In 1978, the Gay Solidarity Group organised one of the first out and proud days of LGBTIQA+ in Australia. Following last year’s inaugural event, Ballarat Pride Festival returns to recognise the past, revel in today and eye a brighter future while celebrating identity, resilience and love. This is a declaration that LGBTIQA+ lives, voices and stories matter.
Events include the exhibition Queer Views II: New Perspectives on the Collection, Pride Month Market, The Pride Pages, Qhub Drop-in Sessions, Pet Pride Community Photo Exhibition, Coffee with LLO, Aging with Pride Social Group, Queer and Confident Craft, Uncoordinated Queers Pool Night, Makeup for Femme Folk, Queer Lens, Silk Fans Workshop, Owning Your Name: A Conversation, Jackbox Party, Skating with Pride, Rainbow Gamers Party Games Night, Lovers Den Pride Flash, Rainbow Yoga, Youth Pride Ball and more.
More through https://ballaratpride.au/
Rising
Melbourne – June 4-15
Come on up for the rising
There is an electric joy that comes from discovering something new. Whether it is a song that is immediately added to your playlist, an art piece that invites you to see a new world or a performance that sweeps you away, new discoveries add colour to our lives. Enter RISING, a festival that promotes new music, art and performance.
Music performances include Suki Waterhouse, Black Star, Day Tripper, Beth Gibbons, Japanese Breakfast, Mount Kimbie, Marlon Williams, Soccer Mommy and Little Bands. Art/Exhibition events include Swingers, Intangible#Form, Space-Out Competition, Saturate, Matha, Tarrawarra Biennial, Blockbuster, First Peoples Melbourne Art Trams and Night Trade. Performance events include The Chronicles, The Butterfly Who Flew into the Rave, Mickey, Pigeons, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Fountain.
More through https://2025.rising.melbourne/
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Castlemaine Jazz Festival
Castlemaine – June 5-8
Take some skins, jazz begins
“I don’t care if a dude is purple with green breath as long as he can swing,” so said Miles Davis. The Castlemaine Jazz Festival isn’t a place to strut your stuff so much as it is a place to swing your stuff. It’s the cat’s meow.
Performers include Mount Kujo, ade ishs & eMotion Band, JPG, The Seduceaphones, Robbie Melville Quartet, Kinju, Cosmos Made Conscious, Jade Kerber, Firefly Horns, Son Quba, Hot Five Jazz, Ben Charnley Trio, Red Sand Big Band, The Pearly Shells, Steamboat Whistlers, Capitol Theatre Orchestra, Dink, Low Down Big Band, Nadira and Friends, The Dozeytones, Melba Big Band, Magic Doors, Spirograph Studies, Nigel Maclean, Big Band Frequency, The Sweet Patooties, A Bunch of Smooth Operators, Kind of Blue Trio, Yusupha Ngum & the Affia Band, Brett Champion Group, Donkey Juice, Meg Corson Quartet, The Anticlinal Fold, Afrospace Jazz Industry, Shirazz, The Early Birds Quartet, The Radiohead Jazz Project, Dobet Gnahoré, Royal Navy Band, Paul Grabowsky & Michelle Nicolle, The F Jays, Hargreaves Quartet, Maggie Jackson NY Trio and Jazzparty.
More through https://www.castlemainejazzfestival.com.au/
National Celtic Folk Festival
Portarlington – June 6-9
I’m so Celtic, he’s so Celtic, you’re so Celtic, we’re all so Celtic
Bound by the love of music, myth and merriment, the National Celtic Folk Festival raises a dram to the Emerald Isle. Feel the joy rise like mist off the moors in this all-singing, all-dancing celebration that comes with a healthy touch of green. Sláinte!
Performers include Tulua, Caoimhín, Gráinne Hunt, Amaidi, Homebru, Bo’Ness, Tolka, Bushlarks, Anna Scionti, Apolline, Tiffany Eckhart, Arís, Monique Clare & Loni Fitzpatrick, Louzco Fouzco, Fiona Ross, Kejafi, Mast Gully Fellers, The Counsel, SHAM, Nigel Wearne, Mad Kelpie Playdate, Ceoltoírí Naarm, The Melbourne Scottish Fiddlers, Glór, The Raglins, Bhan Tre, Hiraeth, Caledonian Castaways, Big Fiddle Little Fiddle and Seal Prince and the Roof Rats. You’ll also find a selection of events taking in family, workshops, pipes and drums, hurling, dance, highland cattle, visual art and storytelling.
More through https://www.nationalcelticfestival.com/
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Woodend Winter Arts Festival
Woodend – June 6-9
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter
Come stoke the fires of vibrant, traditional and thought-provoking performances and events. Two decades old and still going strong, this cosy winter festival serves up a hearty stew of classical music, jazz, world music, literary events, visual arts and educational programs.
Music performances include Spanish Connections, De Fez a Jerez, Handel Concertos, Ode to St Cecilia, Trio Phantasies, Unforgettable Jazz, Musical Bridges, Brahms Sonatas, From Bach to Glass, Cinderella and Variations on a Theme. Words/Ideas/Theatre/Film performances include Australia’s Energy Transformation, Highly Strung Players, My Great Aunt Jane Austen, The Healing Power of Music, William Morris, The Great White Whale, The Genius of Nijinsky, Hot Off the Press, A Garden & A Library, Vortex and Fearless Beatrice Faust.
More through https://woodendwinterartsfestival.org.au/
Oz Comic-Con
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne – June 7 & 8
Comic book characters never grow old. Evergreen heroes whose stories were told
Sometimes we just connect with a television program. From the earlier habits of when we would cancel all plans for a weekly watch, to the satisfying (and perhaps sometimes regrettable) binge-watch, the characters on screen become part of our world. It’s the small joy of finding something new in something we’ve seen half-a-dozen times previously. Comic-Con is the ultimate celebration of all the things we love about all the things we watch and read.
Guests include Brandon Rogers, Catherine Tate, Emilie de Ravin, Giancarlo Esposito, Ratana, Laila Berzins, Renee O’Connor and Zach Aguilar. Panel discussions, live performance, cosplay, meet and greets, lip sync battles, trading, tabletop gaming, console gaming and Dr Pickles Tattoo Alley also feature.
More through https://ozcomiccon.com/melbourne/
Geelong Brick Show
Geelong West Town Hall, Geelong – June 7 & 8
Make your friends from Lego, ’cause Lego makes a wall
Ow, it’s a brick show. Well put-together, everybody knows. This is how the story goes. Featuring more than forty tables of custom-built LEGO models, the Geelong Brick Show is a hugely creative showcase of those humble interlocking construction toys. Here you will find Star Wars, architecture and Marvel among the worlds created, plus the popular play tables where you can get busy and sets and parts for purchase.
More through https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1362423
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Heathcote on Show
Heathcote – June 7-9
Breaking out of your small town, show them what you’re all about
Flaunt it if you’ve got it. More than twenty locations will invite you to see just what is so good about the Heathcote region across the King’s Birthday weekend, all with that small-town hospitality. From exclusive tastings and new releases to gourmet food and live music, it’s a show fit for a, well, king.
More through https://www.heathcoteonshow.com/
Negative Waves
Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong – June 8
I’m a negative creep, I’m a negative creep
If River Rocks and River Rocks Rehab are the older siblings, Negative Waves is the young pup nipping at their heels. It won’t leave you alone. It will steal your stuff. It will taddle on you in a heartbeat. But you can’t help but love it anyway.
Your line-up features Cosmic Psychos, Dr. Colossus, The Meanies, Hoss, The Stripp, Fly!, The States, W.O.M.B.A.T., Snub, Cat Crawl, Clay Dirt and Mulshlucka.
More through https://barwonclub.com.au/whats-on/
CraftAlive
Bendigo Showgrounds, Bendigo – June 12-14
Arts and crafts is all I need
If you’re yarning for more craft time, CraftAlive has everything. Not only will you have access to hands-on events featuring world-class teachers, you also have all your favourite retailers with the latest craft supplies, kits and accessories.
More through https://www.craftalive.com.au/events/bendigo/
Tastes of Greater Geelong
Geelong – June 20 through July 20
I’m hungry. I want some food for my tum
From the pickiest of eaters to those who tread where tastebuds tremble, Tastes of Geelong is a festival that showcases and celebrates the region’s food and hospitality offerings.
More through https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/tastes/default.aspx
Warrnambool Storytelling Festival
Warrnambool – June 27 through July 13
I’ve a story to tell and I’m telling it here
From a three-hour film to a three-minute pop song, there is a story to be told. So put on your hiking boots and explore a range of storytelling across film, music, art and literature with stop-offs in culture, religion and faith, philosophy, history and the human experience. This is my story. This is your story. This is our story.
Events include the free literary extravaganza Stella Day Out, The Passion of Saint Nicholas, panels and workshops including a writing workshop with Geraldine Quinn, kids and family events including All You Can Eat Storytelling, music and performance events including the Radio Theatre production The Daze of Her Life and so much more.
More through https://www.warrnamboolstorytelling.com.au/
Obsidian Dark Beer Festival
Ballarat Mining Exchange, Ballarat – June 28
Pour me a glass of cold, dark beer
As the cold takes hold, dark beer is our friend. Sure, as nine out of ten TV doctors will tell you they can be good for your health. They are rich in flavonoids, after all. And drinking a dark beer can also help you reach your iron intake. But for lovers of the dark brew, it’s about the rich and complex flavours. At the Obsidian Dark Beer Festival you will discover fifteen breweries and more than thirty brews, wrapped up in a neat little package of community and discovery.
More through https://hullabalooevents.com.au/obsidian-dark-beer-fest
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Winter Glow
Adventure Park, Geelong – June 28 through August 9
Can you see our city glowing?
What do you call a snowman’s temper tantrum? A meltdown! You’ll have no time for a meltdown here as you rug up and get to work on old Frosty in the giant Snow Play area. Gumboots and gloves are recommended for this one. Or take a wintry stroll and marvel at the 3.3 million dazzling lights and 1000+ light installations illuminating the 2.5km night sky trail. Once playtime is over, feast on ooey-gooey marshmallows over a crackling fire.
More through https://www.adventurepark.com.au/winter-glow
