What's on in central Victoria | October 13 - 20

Bendigo Wine Week kicks off this weekend, heralding in a week of events full to the brim of region's best drops. This weekend sees a Mandurang Valley Dinner hosted at The Dispensary on October 14, Music with the Vines at Chateau Dore Winery on October 14 and Balgownie Spring Fair on October 15. Can't make it this weekend or during the week? Block out your diary for the Heritage and Hidden Spaces Wine Walk on October 21. Click here for more importation and events. Where: Multiple locations When: October 14 - October 21.

The self-guided Heritage and Hidden Spaces Wine Walk - the grand finale of Bendigo Wine Week - sees the region's winemakers set up shop in hidden, historic locations dotted around Bendigo's CBD, including History House, Mackenzie Quarters, The Beehive and the cellars of the Bendigo Post Office. Attendees can choose their own adventure as they dart their way around locations usually closed to the public, as well as special "themed spaces", including a Rose Lounge at the historic Mackenzie Quarters. And if wine is not your favourite drop, for the first time walkers can sample local beer, cider and spirits.Tickets here. Where: Multiple locations around Bendigo CBD. When: Saturday, October 21 from 11am.

Rochella is a day full of live music, food, and family fun, all in the name of recovery and resilience. Headlined by The Black Sorrows and featuring musicians from the local community and around the state, the line-up includes Bones and Jones from Geelong, dance-pop collective Empress, Echuca band Stumbling North, family-friendly act The Burnt Sausages, and Australian Idol artist Anya Alchemy. Tickets $10 for residents of postcode 3561, $30 for visitors and free for kids under 12. Where: Rochester Recreation Reserve, Rochester VIC 3561. When: Saturday 14 October 2023 from 11am.

The Bendigo Trades Hall will be transformed into a traditional German bierhall for the Craft Beer Oktoberfest. Brewers Collective has teamed up with Heathcote's Cornella Brewery and Burnley Brewing for the event, which pays tribute to one of the largest traditions in Bavarian culture. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere with live German music playing all the traditional tunes, and taste buds with mouthwatering German food from Bendigo's own Tageskarte, including German sausages and pretzels. Book here. Where: Bendigo Trades Hall 40 View St, Bendigo VIC 3550 When: Saturday, October 14, 1pm - 6pm.

The Vegecareian Festival celebrates the coming together of friends, family and cultures. Learn how vegetarianism has developed in other communities, watch cooking demonstrations and sample vegetarian dishes from all over the world. The best part - bring along your furry friends and get them blessed by a monk inside The Great Stupa. Where: The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, 25 Sandhurst Town Road, Myers Flat 3556 When: October 14, 10am - 3pm.

The annual St Paul's Art Show provides a platform for the region's talented visual artists and will feature their oil and water colour paintings, drawings, framed textiles and photography. Participating artists include well known Stan Thomas, Darren Crothers and Angela Morrissey, and young, emerging artists Rose Norton and Sam Martin. Among the creatives is Nadee Jayasekera, who is putting the finishing touches to her new composition titled This Storm Too Shall Pass. Over 170 original art works from more than 55 local and regional artists will be showcased. Where: St Paul's Cathedral, Myers Street, Bendigo, VIC 3550 When: October 21, 10am - 4pm - October 22, 1pm to 4pm.

Go back in time and have fun learning rock 'n' roll dancing with Rockin' '50s Rock 'n' Roll Club. Five week basic dance lessons, no partner required. Learn how they did it in the old days. $25 per person for five week course. Contact 0438 895 380. When: Wednesdays, 7.30pm-8.30pm (arrive 7.15pm on first night for registration) Where: The Bendigo Club, 22 Park Street, Bendigo

Whole Loddon Love is bringing live music back to pubs and halls in flood-affected areas along the Loddon River. The series of live music events on Dja Dja Wurrung and Barapa Barapa Country are supporting venues, musicians, event producers and crew, draw heavily from people with live music experience who reside and work in flood-affected areas, and will showcase regionally-based musicians. The shows are free for locals, affordable for those travelling from outside the Loddon Valley, and feature live music from a minimum of three acts each night, including artists from the local community. More information here. When: Multiple dates. Where: multiple locations, check website.

Bendigo Comedy Festival's 5th year is shaping up to be the biggest yet, with an onslaught of hilarious comedians with extraordinary shows. Kicking off with the gala, eleven more hilarious shows follow, including fresh from Edinburgh fringe Gillian Cosgriff, winner of Melbourne International Comedy Festival's Most Outstanding show of 2023, comedy legend Heath Franklin, Alex Ward, Dane Simpson and more. The festival will also see the return of the local showcase, featuring some of Bendigo's funniest. When: October 11 - 15. Where: The Capital's Engine Room Theatre & The Cambrian Hotel.

The Soweto Gospel Choir are taking on an extensive regional tour of their new show HOPE, including stops in Bendigo and Castlemaine. Soweto Gospel Choir have received critical acclaim globally for its renditions of African American spirituals, gospel, folk and contemporary music. The new show HOPE takes audiences on a journey that includes South African freedom songs and protest music from the American songbook, including civil-rights era tracks, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. Tickets available here. Where: Ulumbarra Theatre, 10 Gaol Rd, Bendigo VIC 3550. When: Bendigo on October 17, 2023 and Theatre Royal in Castlemaine on October 20, 2023.

The First Nations gallery Djaa Djuwima has opened of its third exhibition, Strength in stories: This is what we do, which celebrates the art of First Nations men, brotherboys and youth. Strength in Stories: This is what we do includes woodwork and wood burning, painting, body adornment and digital art. The exhibition showcases creative works from traditional to contemporary art. Djaa Djuwima is a dedicated and permanent First Nations Gallery on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Where: Djaa Djuwima, 51-67 Pall Mall, Bendigo Victoria 3550, Australia. When: Friday, September 29 2023 to Monday, January 22.

The best selling author of the book Boy Swallows Universe will appear in Castlemaine, where he will discuss his new book, Lola in the Mirror. Trent Dalton, whose other work includes All our Shimmering Skies and Love Stories, will be in conversation with Astrid Edwards and will also sign books. Book here. Where: Phee Broadway Theatre, 212 Barker St, Castlemaine VIC 3450 When: Saturday, October 14, 2 - 4pm.

Bendigo is blooming, with the 20th anniversary of the tulip display coming to life across town. Since 2004, tulips have been blossoming at Rosalind Park, Eaglehawk's Conservatory Garden and the gardens along Pall Mall, with 3000 bulbs planted across Greater Bendigo, with about 25 varieties. Where: Multiple locations around Bendigo. When: Throughout spring.

Alongside the tulips, the city has created Bloom After Dark, a night-time trail illuminating the floral displays and using some of the illuminated sculptures seen at Rosalind Park's Electric Wonderland. There was also a "Bendio-gnome" hunt, where 12 gnomes have been hidden through the four gardens across the City of Greater Bendigo, for families to find. A Symbiotic Pulse kinetic installation in the front atrium at Bendigo Visitor Centre was created by Paul Fletcher, paying homage to nature and the Bendigo sign at the Rosalind Park piazza has had a floral makeover. Where: Multiple locations. When: Throughout Spring

The Bendigo Agricultural Show is back at the Showgrounds this October. Event organisers (and history tells) we can expect rides, show bags, exhibitions, animals, art and crafts - and all the carnival fanfare we know and love. Two big crowd pleasers are the dressage and the monster trucks. Children under 16-years-old go free. To read the show program and book tickets, go to bendigoshow.org.au or call 03 5444 4646. Where: Bendigo Showgrounds, 42 - 72 Holmes Road, North Bendigo, VIC 3550. When: October 27 and 28, 2023.

Shared Reading is an immersive adventure, a space where people from all walks of life gather in small groups to listen to a story or a poem. We read slowly to allow space for our responses to emerge and to share, discovering the narratives within all of us, finding and speaking our own truth. For bookings, please click here. For enquiries, please email Juliane Roemhild at J.Roemhild@latrobe.edu.au. When: Every Monday from 10am until 11.30am - starting August 28 Where: La Trobe University Bendigo campus library

This immersive workshop will introduce you to the basics of food photography, guided by two creative professionals. Iron chef Shellie and Ewen will begin with a discussion on gear and lighting before walking you through hands-on sessions to capture, style, process and print your own food photos. Gain real-world skills to apply to your commercial work, and learn simple lighting setups to achieve great results in a wide variety of settings. To book click here. Where: RACV Goldfields Resort, 1500 Midland Hwy, Creswick When: Saturday, September 23 10am - 3pm.

The Bendigo Showgrounds Market is held nearly every Sunday and is one of the biggest weekly markets in country Victoria. This family-friend market will include a huge range of new and used goods, food, coffee and fresh produce. For further information, phone 5444 4646 or email market@bendigoshowgrounds.com.au Where: Bendigo Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Holmes Road, Bendigo. When: Every Sunday, 8.30am to 2pm.

Castlemaine farmers market has kicked it up a notch from your average market, displaying some of the finest produce from across the region. You'll find local cheeses, meats, fruits and much more at this family friendly event. Where: Alongside Castlemaine Market Building, Mostyn Street, Castlemaine. When: The first Sunday of each month, 9am to 1pm (except January).

Pick up some goods made with love this week at Kangaroo Flat's Handmade Market. The market is held monthly to showcase the creative people in and around Central Victoria, with a motto of 'if you bake it, if you grow it, you can sell it', this market is filled with handcrafted, handmade and homegrown goods. Prepare yourself for a day full of treats. For further information, visit thehandmademarketbendigo.com Where: Rotary Park, Kangaroo Flat, opposite APCO service station. When: The first Saturday of every month, 9am to 2pm.

We recommend contacting event hosts before attending.

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