152 A U S T R A L I A N T R AV E L L E R . C O M

CULTURE | What’s on

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From ESCHER to sculpture and FESTIVALS of film and funny folk to CELEBRATIONS of seafood and big country skies, your cultural calendar for the COMING MONTHS.

W H AT’S ON

NGV FRIDAY NIGHTS N G V, M E L B O U R N E , V I C

Visit the National Gallery of Victoria’s major Escher X nendo exhibition late on a Friday to also enjoy pop-up bars, live music, architectural art and food in the gallery’s ground floor and garden. ngv.vic.gov.au

9 – 10 M A R C H

TA S T E S O F RU T H E RG L E N

R U T H E R G L E N , V I C

A decadent progressive feast set at no fewer than 19 wineries

celebrates regional food and tipples; this year, muscat-

based cocktails and rich durif wines take the spotlight. tastesofrutherglen.com.au

U N T I L 2 0 M A R C H

S U M M E R N I G H T M A R K E T

Q U E E N V I C T O R I A M A R K E T, M E L B O U R N E , V I C

Melbourne’s mid-week market evenings continue through to March, combining stalls and bars, games and live music.

thenightmarket.com.au

17 – 2 8 A P R I L

B L E AC H G O L D C O A S T, Q L D

Arts events, from installations to opera and circus, are set in

the spectacular natural landscape of the Gold Coast.

bleachfestival.com.au

5 – 14 A P R I L

PA R RT J I M A – A F E S T I VA L I N L I G H T

A L I C E S P R I N G S D E S E RT PA R K , N T

Ancient stories meet creative vision and technology in a

stunning 10-day Aboriginal festival of light in the Alice.

parrtjimaaustralia.com.au

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11 – 14 A P R I L

F L I N D E R S I S L A N D F O O D & C R AY F I S H

F E S T I VA L F L I N D E R S I S L A N D , TA S Island life beckons at this

lovely, languid chef-driven celebration of the long lunch

(and seafood, of course). visitflindersisland.com.au

2 7 M A R C H – 21 A P R I L

M E L B O U R N E I N T E R N AT I O N A L

C O M E DY F E S T I VA L VA R I O U S V E N U E S , M E L B O U R N E , V I C

Not a festival as much as an institution, this year brings

back such faves as Dave Hughes (left), the Great Debate, Deadly Funny and comedic femme-fest Upfront. comedyfestival.com.au

2 7 A P R I L – 5 M AY

B I G S K I E S W E S T E R N D O W N S , Q L D

Go full country with camp oven meals, country races,

tours of Jimbour House (right) and the big Day on the Plain

music fest. bigskiesevents.com.au

13 – 14 A P R I L

S C U L P T U R E I N A N O R A N G E G A R D E N

O R A N G E , N S W

Orange Food Week is complemented by even more colour, so to speak, with this renowned selling exhibition

of sculptures in the gorgeous gardens of Rosemont Cottage.

org.nsw.gov.au

15 F E B R U A RY – 17 M A R C H

A D E L A I D E F R I N G E VA R I O U S V E N U E S , S A

Take a trip to the left of centre at the country’s biggest open-access arts festival, as shows pop up in places as varied as alleyways and laundromats. Turn to page 62 for more.

adelaidefringe.com.au

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3 MARCHPERTH FESTIVAL VA R I O U S V E N U E S , P E RT H , WA

In possibly the most diverse, experimental festival yet, artistic director Wendy Martin has delivered a program of exclusive performances and world premieres galore. perthfestival.com.au

GEORGE BYRNE: POST TRUTHO L S E N G A L L E RY, S Y D N E Y, N S W

Presenting a new series of works by the Sydney-born, LA-based artist that reassembles the American urban landscape in photographic collages of colour and form. olsengallery.com

TROPFEST PA R R A M AT TA PA R K , N S W

The world’s biggest short film festival returns to Parramatta in Western Sydney. The main screening of the 16 finalist films – and the 16 Trop Jr finalists

– is a free event, and this year there’s the Tropfair filmmaking convention to get next year’s potential

entrants primed. tropfest.org.au

8 F E B R U A R Y T O

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17U N T I L F E B R U A R Y

F E B R U A R Y