The always highly anticipated Illawarra Convoy is back. Photo: Mark Howard Images.
This week, the Illawarra is festival rich, kicking off with True Story, moving onto BrickCon for LEGO® fans and finishing up with not one but two music festivals of very different flavours.
Headlining this massive week is one of the greatest community highlights of the year – the i98FM Illawarra Convoy.
In between, you’ll find creative workshops allowing you to discover skills you never knew you had, local author talks, live theatre and the ultimate shopping experience for fashion lovers.
Here are our top nine picks for the week.
All weekend
This year’s True Story Festival comes with a stellar line-up of guests including rewilding facilitator, adventurer, writer and speaker Gina Chick. Image: South Coast Writers Centre.
2024 True Story Festival
When: Friday 15 to Sunday 17 November, various times
Where: Coledale Community Hall, 745 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Coledale
Cost: Various, book here.
Spots are booking out fast to this showcase of some of the best creative non-fiction writing in Australia today. This year’s theme “The State of Us” recognises what a complex and at times bruising year we’ve had. Artistic director Caroline Baum has curated a series of conversations that prompts us to examine what we have in common rather than what divides us. Guests include Rick Morton, Bruce Pascoe, Rosie Batty and Gina Chick.
Calling all LEGO® fans. Image: SydLUG.
BrickCon Wollongong – A LEGO® Fan Event
When: Saturday 16 November, 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 17 November, 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Illawarra Hockey Centre, 6 Waples Road, Unanderra
Cost: General $10 | Under 4s free | Book via Trybooking.
The inaugural BrickCon Wollongong is set to be an amazing weekend filled with creativity, fun and LEGO® magic. Expect inspiring LEGO® creations from talented builders, interactive building zones for kids and adults alike, Starwars cosplay characters from the 501st Legion, awesome LEGO® raffles, kids face painting, LEGO® sales and much more. Funds raised will be supporting BrickCon Wollongong’s charity partner, Lost and Found Pets Illawarra.
Friday
Flutter! All Killer – No Filler
When: Friday 15 November, 7 to 8 pm
Where: The Kazador, Shoalhaven St, Kiama
Cost: $25 | Book via The Kazador.
In a masterful display of misdirection, spy, heart-breaker and international woman of mystery Ivy Amore weaves a spell with spinning hoops, thrills with whipcracks, confounds with illusions and charms with witty one-liners. From one of Sydney’s premier circus entertainers, Heidi Hoops Hillier, comes this fun, funny, sexy, interactive, wholly entertaining and escapist show.
Saturday
Music, food and community come together in this one-day festival. Image: One Music Festival.
One Music Festival
When: Saturday 16 November, 2 to 9 pm
Where: The Pavilion Kiama, 2 Bong Bong Street, Kiama
Cost: Adult $35 | Children and Youths 6-7 Years $25 | Family $80 | Youth Group $20 | Under 6s Free | Book via One Music Festival.
This interdenominational music and arts festival for all ages is run by Illawarra-Shoalhaven churches in partnership with Scripture Union on the beautiful South Coast of NSW. Immerse yourself in live music like never before with your family, old and new friends, as you bond over food and drinks from a fantastic line-up of vendors.
Celebrate the diversity and richness of some of the planet’s most infectious rhythms and cultures. Image: Seeker Brewing.
World Music Festival
When: Saturday 16 November, 12:30 pm till late
Where: Seeker Brewing, 1 Industrial Road, Unanderra
Cost: $62 | Book via Humanitix.
Seeker Brewing has kicked things up a notch in its second year of the World Music Festival, with an amazing calibre of acts. The line-up includes the high energy Afro beats, reggae, funk, jazz, raga, salsa, percussion, traditional folk music and showmanship of Afro Moses Spirit Band, funky multicultural collective Marcello Maio’s Samba Mundi, the traditional Guinea and contemporary Melbourne mashups of Jarabi Band, the ancestral Romani music of Lolo Lovina and the lively traditional Irish music trio Kelly’s Heroes. There will be delicious food stalls and an array of Seeker’s finest beverages on offer throughout the day.
Sunday
The largest truck and motorbike convoy in the Southern Hemisphere is back to raise funds for individuals and families affected by potentially life-threatening medical conditions, charities that work with these people and local hospitals. Image: i98FM Illawarra Convoy.
i98FM Illawarra Convoy
When: Sunday 17 November, 8:15 am
Where: West Cliff Colliery to Shellharbour Airport, see route here
Cost: Free.
It’s back! Pick your spot along the 80 km of Convoy kicking off at Appin South 32 and cheer on our heroes. The Convoy route follows down Mount Ousley, turning left onto Masters Road, then right onto Five Islands Road past BlueScope, then through Warrawong, Windang, Warilla, then right onto New Lake Entrance Road near McDonald’s Warilla, then along to the Oak Flats interchange where they will turn right onto the Princes Highway.
After, converge at Shellharbour Airport for the traditional Family Fun Day where there will be rides, markets and food stalls, cars for Convoy displays and much more.
Get set for one last frantic grab-and-go style fashion sale supporting Dress for Success. Image: Fashion Frenzy.
Fashion Frenzy Illawarra
When: Sunday 17 November, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm (session 1), noon to 1:30 pm (session 2) and 2 pm to 3:30 pm (clearance sale)
Where: Dapto Ribbonwood Centre, 93/109 Princes Highway, Dapto
Cost: Session 1 $20 entry (ticket includes two free items) | Session 2 $10 entry (ticket includes two free items) | Session 3 $5 (All items are two for $5) | Book via Humanitix.
Lace up, BYO shopping bag and get set to explore thousands of preloved (and new!) fashion items for only $5 each at Fashion Frenzy’s last sale in the region for the year. You’ll find items in every size and style, for every season. Experience guilt-free, sustainable shopping at its finest, knowing that every purchase directly empowers women on their journey towards financial independence.
Tuesday
For lovers of Aussie film, don’t miss this chance to celebrate one of the greatest Aussie films of all time. Image: Roadshow Film.
30-Year Anniversary Screening of Priscilla with Q&A by Producer/Memoirist Al Clark
When: Tuesday 19 November, 6:30 to 9 pm
Where: Gala Cinema, 204 Cowper Street, Warrawong
Cost: General admission by donation | General admission plus a copy of Al Clark’s two memoirs $30 | Book via Humanitix.
Screen Illawarra will host this special screening of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this cherished Aussie silver screen classic. The event will also include a book signing and Q&A with the film’s producer, Al Clark, who has authored two memoirs detailing his career. These books will be available on the night and can also be purchased with your tickets to the event.
This event will be perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, or anyone who enjoys a good read and wants to support Illawarra talent. Image: Kiama Library.
Alison Edwards author talk: Two Daughters
When: Tuesday 19 November, 5 to 6:30 pm
Where: Kiama Library, 7 Railway Parade, Kiama
Cost: Free | Book via Try booking.
Kiama born and raised author Alison Edwards comes home to discuss her debut novel Two Daughters. Reaching from the picturesque South Coast of NSW to the cloisters of Cambridge, Two Daughters follows two young women’s lives as they become entwined in ways neither could have expected. Exploring motherhood, class, social justice, love and identity, it is told with wit and empathy. Books will be available for signing and purchase.
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