A taste of local wines and Elmo hits the town: What's On, April 12-14

The Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival returns to the Bendigo region. The festival is a celebration of our 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. Come and discover the region's white, red, rosé and sparkling wine styles, feast from the many food vans or pack a picnic. Join the grape stomp challenge, enter the many fun competitions, or simply kick back in the cool park shade with your favourite people. Tickets start from $65. When: April 13, all day. Where: Rosalind Park.

Step right up and join the fun with 'Elmo's Circus Dream'! This thrilling show takes you on an enchanting journey with Elmo and his friends as they discover their hidden talents and dreams at the circus. Get ready to be entertained by amazing acts, catchy songs, and heart-warming moments that will leave you smiling from ear to ear. Tickets are from $36. When: April 12 and 13, shows at 10:30am and 1pm. Where: The Capital Theatre.

Manchester's Jim E. Brown graces Australia's shores for the very first time this April. Performing a slew of hits from his oeuvre (including I Know I'm Going to Die of a Stroke, Bin Man and Squeal Like a Pig), Jim E. Brown promises to entertain and perturb his newfound Australian audience. Co-headlining the tour will be Andy Burns, a chamber pop artist based in Perth. The bulk of Burns' music was recorded over a several-year stint living and working in Tokyo as a salaryman. He has released 3 albums and recently concluded a national tour with US banjoist Eugene Chadbourne. When: April 13, 7pm to 10pm. Where: Trash Cult, Eaglehawk.

Bike and trike enthusiasts are being invited to join the April meet up. All makes and models are welcome, it doesn't matter what you ride. All 3-wheel and 2-wheel bikes/trikes are welcome. Organisers are asking that anyone who does attend not to rev excessively, not to hoon and not to do burnouts. When: April 12, 7pm to 9pm. Where: Meet up is at the Ravenswood Truck stop.

Explore the connections of the artistic Leviny family to the places that were significant to their lives and loves in Castlemaine, in a brand new walking or driving tour. Returning in April and May with the theme Connections, the 2024 festival will celebrate the rich and diverse stories of our nation, strengthen cultural and historical ties and encourage the community to forge new bonds. It acknowledges our link to people, places and the past, and the enduring connections that will shape the future of heritage. Come and visit and learn of Hungarian gold and silversmith Ernest Leviny and his five talented daughters and their Arts and Crafts influenced collection, then grab a map and explore their wider connections in the town of Castlemaine with a newly developed walking or driving tour. When: April 12 to May 1. Where: Buda Castlemaine, 42 Hunter Street.

Come and buy locally grown, freshly harvested and delicious produce, direct from the grower to you. Supporting backyard and micro farmers in our region. Entry is free and all producers are locals. When: April 13, 9:30am to 12:30pm. Where: Old Church on the Hill, Russell Street.

Have you missed watching your local footy team? Well the first round of the Bendigo Football and Netball competition starts up again this weekend with an action packed round ahead. Teams from all over the central Victorian region will take to the field as they look to get the 2024 season underway. When: April 13. Where: Check with your local club for fixture locations.

Grace Knight & Wendy Matthews are two of the most iconic and beloved singers in Australian music. They are both multi-award winning artists with a swag of Countdown, MTV & ARIA awards between them and a bundle of platinum albums under their belt. In their first show together, these legends of Aussie music present the songs of one of the world's greatest living songwriters. Paul Simon has written some of the best known and acclaimed songs in popular music, ranging from Simon & Garfunkel gems like Sounds Of Silence, The Boxer, Homeward Bound and Bridge Over Trouble Water, to his solo classics like, You Can Call Me Al, Late In The Evening, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes and Graceland. His albums, Bridge Over Troubled Water and Graceland feature among the highest selling albums of all time. Tickets start at $62. When: April 14, 3pm. Where: The Capital Theatre.

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. When: April 13. Where: The Prince of Wales Showgrounds.