Up to 100 major events each year will be scheduled by the City of Greater Bendigo as the organisation prepares to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
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Major events and tourism manager Terry Karamaloudis said he was confident Bendigo's calendar would be stacked with events in the years leading up to the Regional Victoria Commonwealth Games.
"I'd be confident in saying the next three to four years would be very solid with major events," he said.
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"There will be between 80 and 100 events annually barring another major global disruption like we have just had.
"Working with what we know, we're very confident events - outside gallery exhibitions - will be strong up to and surpassing the Commonwealth Games.
"Our infrastructure is going to need significant upgrades with the Commonwealth Games coming up.
"We will be upgrading between now and then to host the games.
"We have got the Boomers (basketball team) game on for a number of reasons - we have the facility and the history of supporting international events in the past."
In the meantime, Bendigo's event calendar is full between now and the end of the year with Chinese artistry exhibitions planned for the Bendigo Art Gallery, White Night set to return in September, the council's spring program set to launch and a host of food and drink-based events all preparing to go ahead.
"Some of it is rescheduled events that couldn't run due to COVID but it is positive they are now able to run and haven't disappeared or moved to another part of Victoria or Australia," Mr Karamaloudis said.
"There has been some really strong new event acquisitions that have taken place. That is the industry we're in and we won't be easing up.
"The work we do is attracting and retaining major events in various portfolios (such as) arts and culture, food and drink, sport and leisure, history and heritage, business and agriculture.
"There's a broad cross section of interest groups and it is important to have may different spheres of influence to attract different people."
Mr Karamaloudis said an example of an event that attracts a new group of people was the Summer Nats at at Heathcote Park Drag Way in October.
"That is an event that has not been seen in the region previously and we are expecting 20,000 people there," he said.
"There is also staple favourites like the Blues and Roots Music Festival, which is a significant home-grown event."
The high number of events will also help drive visitation when the Bendigo Art Gallery closes to proceed with its planned development.
Mr Karamaloudis said it remained unclear when the gallery would close for its upgrade with funding yet to be secured for the $28 million development.
"It's important people realise the gallery closure is not just around the corner," he said.
"The reality is the funding required for such a project hasn't been secured. I understand it would be concern for people that it is closing but the regular major events calendar the city drives is getting back up to 90 or 100 odd major events a year.
"The four walls of the gallery may close in the future - no one can tell us when that will be."
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