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  YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT'S ON Festivals, parades, concerts, shows, exhibitions and sports – from the city to the outback, NSW has got it all, and more. While lots of our events do revolve around culture and the arts, keep an eye out for those little known occasions, such as the Australian Goanna Pulling Championship, the Stroud International Brick and Rolling Pin Throwing Competition, Gunnedah’s National Tomato Contest and the Great Goat Race at Lightning Ridge. They’re sure to be a laugh! In the meantime, here’s our guide to some of the biggest events throughout the coming year. For more events information in Sydney go to www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/whats_on.asp and www.visitnsw.com.au NOVEMBER Rugby World Cup 2003 The finals will be spread across 12 different venues and 10 Australian cities, including the world famous Telstra Stadium, the main venue for the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Join in the fun of the tournament at the Rugby Live sites throughout the city and at Sydney Olympic Park plus there's plenty to keep the non rugby fans entertained. www.rugby2003.com.au Viva la Gong This fast paced festival turns into a big street party this year as Wollongong welcomes Rugby World Cup fans for 2 big matches. The line up is star studded and there’s everything from dance parties to circus, fashion shows to classical concerts. www.vivalagongfestival.org Sculpture by the Sea This much loved and incredibly popular exhibition is returning for 3 weeks this year with over 100 sculptures by artists from across Australia and the world. The sandstone cliffs at Bondi become alive with curios visitors enjoying the amazing sculptures. The timing of the show this year could not be more perfect coinciding with the Rugby World Cup semi finals in Sydney. www.sculpturebythesea.com Beardies Spring Festival This annual festival is a community celebration of rural life. But this year as well as the whip cracking contests, sheep dog trials and horse events, there’s a special teddy bear’s picnic and displays of floral art designs. www.gleninnestourism.com Sydney Open The Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales presents an amazing day of architectural adventure for the fourth time. Have access to fascinating places that are usually off-limits, go behind-the-scenes of new architectural projects and see rare glimpses of some of our best-loved heritage buildings. The Sydney Open 2002 general pass allows visitors to access around 40 sites. www.hht.nsw.gov.au DECEMBER
Sydney’s New Year’s EveAround one million people gather to celebrate Sydney’s New Year’s Eve in the city, on the harbour and around the harbour foreshore in parks, gardens and from balconies and rooftops. Join the action by the harbour, at Darling Harbour, or take the kids to a special NYE afternoon concert in Hyde Park. www.newyearseve.com.au Christmas celebrations Sydney is well-known for its Carols in the Domain but now there’s also Carols on the Bay (Darling Harbour) and Carols by the Cauldron (Sydney Olympic Park) www.carolsinthedomain.com, www.darlingharbour.com, www.sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au Homebake, The Domain With market stalls, international foods, four stages, 55 major acts, Homebake is summer’s coolest gig. www.homebake.com.au Carols in the Caves, Abercrombie Caves, near Oberon Carols in the Caves are conducted each year in the Grand Arch Cave on the gold-miners’ Dance Platform, which was built in 1880. www.jenolancaves.org.au 
Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht RaceSir Edmund Hilary will launch Australia’s famous ocean race this year. Charter a boat or join a cruise to be at the start of the action. www.cyca.com.au JANUARY
Sydney FestivalThis much loved festival is a celebration of Sydney in summer, with a dynamic program featuring the very best international and national performing and visual arts. And there’s the famous outdoor program that includes the Domain concerts which each attract around 100,000 people. www.sydneyfestival.com.au Tamworth Country Music Festival This annual event has put Tamworth on the map – and stars like Kasey Chambers in the charts. Its week-long reign boasts over 2500 events and the festival is now regarded as one of the top ten in the world. www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au Thredbo Litewhite Legends Of Blues Festival Held each year in Thredbo Alpine Village in the heart of the Snowy Mountains, this festival is a great combination of top music talent in a dramatic mountain location. www.thredboblues.com The Bradman International Challenge, Bowral Catch all the action at this international cricket match on Bradman Oval between England and Bradman XI. www.bradman.org.au Parkes Elvis Revival Festival Swing with the king at the 11th Annual Parkes Elvis Revival Festival - a tribute to ‘The King’ and the Rock ‘n’ Roll genre in general. www.parkes.nsw.gov.au Manly Surf Lifesaving Carnival This surf carnival is one of the major events on the Surf Lifesaving Australia calendar held at iconic Manly beach. www.surflifesaving.com.au FEBRUARY
Australian Blues Music Festival, Goulburn25 of Australia’s top blues acts, over twelve venues, three days, plenty of visitors from around Australia converge each year on Goulburn to “over indulge in the blues”. There’s also a Busking the Blues Competition, music workshops, Youth Jam, Bluescape Art Exhibition, Free Entertainment in Belmore Park and Auburn Street and community activities. www.australianbluesfestival.com.au 
Hilltops Flavours of the Harvest Festival, YoungAn eclectic mix of art exhibitions, self-drive cellar door tours to wineries, food and wine, music and premium produce day. www.young.nsw.gov.au Byron All Screens Celebration Festival, Bangalow The coolest location for an annual film, video and multimedia festival. www.basc.com.au Tumbafest, Tumbarumba Join this exciting weekend of food, wine, music and fun. Tumbafest is designed to showcase local and regional produce, with particular emphasis on cool climate wine. www.tumbashire.nsw.gov.au Chinese New Year The 2003 event claimed to be the biggest ever for Sydney, with events for everyone. More than half a million people turned up to participate. www.sydneychinesenewyear.com.au Tropfest Each year this keeps getting bigger and better - the Tropfest has become the world’s biggest short film festival. The short films showcased on the night cover every genre – comedy, romance and animation. The festival is held outdoors in the Domain – get there early for a good view of the screens! www.tropfest.com MARCH
Mardi GrasOne of Sydney’s biggest attractions is the colourful, sexy, thought-provoking Mardi Gras parade, which takes the inner city for a walk on the wild side. You won’t find a street party like it! www.mardigras.org.au Norton Street Festival Visit Sydney’s little Italy in Leichhardt for a day of events featuring film, music and food, all with a strong Italian flavour. www.mycommunity.com.au St Patricks Day in The Rocks Join in the non stop Gaelic fun with a free film festival, live entertainment , food and craft markets, all washed down with a tipple of Guinness. www.rocksvillage.com.au Broken Hill St Patrick’s Day Race Meeting One of the great racing events of the rural calendar. This is a great reason for visiting Broken Hill and meeting the locals. www.stpatricks.org.au Australian National Swimming Championships Sydney Aquatic Centre. See all the action as our elite swimmers try out for selection for Swimming Championships in Barcelona this year and the 2004 Athens Olympics. www.ausswim.telstra.com.au Archibald Wynne and Sulman Exhibition Pick the winners of Australia’s most prestigious art prize, now in its 77th year. www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au APRIL
The Royal Easter ShowNow at the Olympic site in Homebush Bay, the Show brings the country to the city each year. From nail biting rides and showbags to baby animals and woodchopping, the show is always a great day out. www.greataustralianmuster.com.au Blues and Roots Music Festival, Byron Bay An incredible lineup of Australian and international stars make this annual event one of the big ones on the local music calendar. Book early! www.bluesfest.com.au Hunter Valley Steamfest This annual event in Maitland is a celebration of all things to do with steam engines – so jump on a steam train for a ride through some of the state’s most picturesque countryside. www.steamfest.com.au AJC Autumn Racing Carnival Watch the turf fly at Royal Randwick Racecourse with feature events San Miguel Derby/Doncaster Day, Oakes Ladies Day and Championship Day. www.ajc.com.au Autumn Heritage Festival Enjoy all the beauty of autumn in rural NSW…Bathurst’ 9 day festival celebrates the changing seasons with special themed tours to private and public landmarks in the area, and heritage talks. www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au Ironfest This 2 day event features 75 leading artists and design makers in a showcase for the area of local arts combined with a celebration of Lithgow as Australia’s first steel city. www.lisp.com.au/~ironfest Marti’s Canowindra Balloon Fiesta This is the event and the place to come if you want to learn all about the magic of hot air ballooning. There’s competitions, demonstrations, and plenty of fun for everyone. www.martisfestival.com.au MAY Mercedes Australian Fashion
WeekSpring/Summer collection. Be in the front row to see the first Spring/Summer collections of the international fashion week circuit. It’s the place to be. www.mafw.com.au Annual Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon Build up a sweat in this annual race around Sydney www.smh.com.au 
Blackheath Food and Wine FestivalCalled a food festival but this is much more… galleries, good jazz and country music, fun for kids. www.bluemts.com.au/foodfestival Thredbo Jazz Festival Over 125 jazz musicians from around Australia and overseas work hard to create this special event known as a boutique jazz festival. www.thredbo.com.au Lovedale Long Lunch, Pokolbin Enjoy a long lazy lunch over a couple of days in the beautiful Hunter Valley wine region. Food and wine are styled to compliment each other. www.lovedalelonglunch.com.au Sydney Writers Festival The event of the literary calendar in Sydney, the Writers Festival is a week long event of debates, discussions and book readings by the best local and international authors. www.swf.org.au JUNE
Sydney Film FestivalCatch Australia’s largest screening of new films, documentaries, short films – all served up with the festival’s traditional emphasis on cutting edge style. www.sydneyfilmfestival.org The Good Food Show Pick up tips from food experts, get that new stove, stock up on the right wines – all at this huge food and wine show at Sydney Exhibition Centre. www.goodfoodshow.com.au Australia vs Wales Test Rugby Union at Telstra Stadium. www.rugby.com.au 
Two Emperors: China's Ancient Origins at the Australian Museum uncovers the vaults of two formative Chinese dynasties to tell one of the greatest stories in history. This major blockbuster exhibition features more than 120 artefacts, mostly from the mausoleums of two Chinese emperors. www.amonline.net.au
NRL State of Origin Game Watch the big guys battle it out at Telstra Stadium. NSW vs Queensland. www.nrl.com.au National Cutting Horse Futurity This 3 day event is one of the world’s most challenging equine events. www.ncha.com.au unWINEd in the Riverina The region’s annual food and wine event is centred on Griffith in the heart of the Riverina, Australia’s fresh produce basket. www.unwined-riverina.com JULY
The Rocks Aroma Coffee Festivalmmm, the smell of fresh coffee. Get the best coffee and food ever in The Rocks at this annual hit of caffeine. www.therocks.com Winter Concert Series at Darling Harbour Warm up your winter nights with this popular annual series of free outdoor evening concerts. www.darlingharbour.com.au Bledisloe Cup at Telstra Stadium Rugby Union’s big match between Trans-Tasman rivals, Australia and New Zealand. www.rugby.com.au Sydney International Boat Show Boats, boats and more boats… choose the luxury speedboat of your dreams at this annual event. www.sydneyboatshow.com.au Byron Bay Writers Festival This annual event held in beautiful Byron Bay attracts the cream of Australian and international writers . This year there’s workshops with indigenous writers, workshops for kids and a new senior’s writing program. Guaranteed to be stimulating and different. www.byronbaywritersfestival.com.au AUGUST
Yulefest in the Blue Mountainscelebrate winter with log fires, hearty meals and, sometimes, a dusting of snow. www.bluemountainstourism.org.au 
The Sun-Herald City to SurfSince 1971, this 14km run from the city to Bondi Beach has become a hugely popular event. Participants are young, old, fit and not-so-fit, plus athletes from around the world. www.smh.com.au/marketing/citytosurf/ Ulladulla Food and Wine Festival The south coast is one of NSW’s best-kept secrets, even in winter, when you can sample local fare and wines at Ulladulla’s festival. www.muctab.asn.au/foodandwine Australian Safari This gruelling 5,000 kilometre event has competitors pitting their skills against the elements of time and nature in some of Australia’s harshest and most remote locations. This cross country rally event is for enthusiasts of motorcycles, 4 WD and 2 WD vehicles. www.australiansafari.com.au SEPTEMBER The Bowral Tulip
Time Festivalfrom September to October but the blooms can still be enjoyed for several weeks after.  The festival features beautiful massed displays of 100,000 tulips in Corbett Gardens. In addition, 22 of Australia's finest regional private gardens will be open as charity gardens during the festival. www.tuliptime.hinet.net.au Mudgee Wine Celebration Mudgee wineries and vineyards. Catch the Mudgee Wine Show Public Tasting, arts and textile exhibitions, live theatre, farmers markets, guest chef dinners, red and white wine blending. www.mudgeewine.com.au Thursday Plantation East Coast Sculpture Show Join in this community celebration of the art and culture of the region, featuring 100 sculptures from around Australia. www.thursdayplantation.com AJC Spring Racing Carnival This colourful Spring Racing Carnival, held at Randwick, is the focus of intense local and international interest, because of the star performers of Australasian Horse Racing Champions. www.ajc.org.au Rusty Iron Rally. If you enjoy fiddling around with bits of old machinery, this is your kind of show. It’s the biggest vintage show in the State featuring country heritage machinery. www.visitnsw.com.au Good Food Month Sydney is famous for its fresh produce and thriving restaurant scene and during Good Food Month, there are workshops, cooking classes, chefs dinners, banquets, wine fairs and more. www.smh.com.au 
Illawarra Folk FestivalBilled the Biggest Little Folk Festival in the world, this annual event brings together around 400 international and local folk performers – with the backdrop of Jamberoo, a quaint village about an hour south of Sydney. www.illawarrafolkclub.org.au Australian Springtime Flora Festival Held each year in parklands at Mt Penang just north of Sydney, this is one of the biggest and brightest displays of Australian and exotic plants in Australia. www.florafestival.com.au Morpeth Jazz Festival The small Hunter River village of Morpeth comes alive each year with a true mix of traditional and contemporary jazz artists. Love jazz? This is the weekend to be in Morpeth. www.morpethjazz.com.au Annual Celebration of Motorcycles Rev up for this great motorcycle event of the season at Bombala. There’s a trade fair, all the grand old classics on display as well as the speedy new models. A great place for a ride through the Snowy Mountains. www.bombalamc.com OCTOBER The Bellingen Global Carnival The carnival has grown to be one of Australia's most unique festivals presenting 3 days and nights of music performed on multiple stages in the beautiful Bellingen Valley. www.globalcarnival.com Bathurst 1000 Touring Car Race This motorsport event is held on Mt Panorama each year. Motor racing drivers do battle for the title over 161 laps of one of the world’s most challenging tracks. www.v8supercar1000.com Opera in the Vineyards, Hunter Valley This annual feast of wine, food, music and song is performed in a dramatic outdoor amphitheatre amidst the vines. Wyndham Estate, 1800 675 875. www.huntervalley.com/events This is Not Art This is Australia’s largest new media and digital arts event. It’s become a thriving event which attracts young writers, new media groupies, student media editors and a Sound Summit on the music industry. The place to be if you’re young and interested in digital media and the arts. www.thisisnotart.org Albury-Wodonga Wine and Food Festival Explore all the food an d wine flavours of this rich agricultural region at their annual 3 day event. There’s plenty to discover and enjoy! www.alburywodongatourism.biz Eden Whale Festival What better place to see the annual migration of whales along the east coast of NSW…this 3 day event includes whale watching tours, entertainment, the Eden Whale Ball and much more. www.edenwhalefestival.com |
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