Check out the many wonderful creations from Wollongong’s children, inspired by the 2024 CBCA Children’s Book Week® theme, “Reading is Magic”. Photo: Wollongong City Council.
Get creative and get cultured in the Illawarra this week with an endless line-up of theatre and live music shows and creative workshops.
From the virtuosity of an incredible Grammy award-winning violinist to a poignant line-up of protest songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s, a unique show produced by a Wollongong theatre up-and-comer to a children’s classic come to life on stage, there’s something for everyone.
Learn to arrange your own bouquet of dried flowers, make textured artworks with materials from a certain beloved Aussie hardware chain or perch on the edge of your seat as you witness the incredible feats of biking legends on the big screen.
Finish the week with a delicious dinner with the maker of the man behind the McGuigan wines range, Neil McGuigan.
Friday
Create a dried flower arrangement to suit your home that’ll last years. Image: Georgia Rose.
Create and Sip: Dried Floral Workshop
When: Friday 16 August, 6 to 8:30 pm
Where: Georgia Rose, 1/9 Marina Drive, Shell Cove
Cost: $129, book here.
Spend the afternoon creating a beautiful dried floral arrangement with Florence + Fleur, as she teaches you the basics of floral design and arrangements. Choose from a wide range of florals and foliage to create the perfect piece for your home that will last years. Included in your ticket are a pot and a range of florals and a quantity of foliage to choose from, grazing food and a cocktail on arrival.
You’ll be surprised by the beautiful artworks you can create with materials from your local Bunnings. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.
Bunnings Craft: Textured Art
When: Friday 16 August, 10:30 am
Where: Shellharbour City Library, 76 Cygnet Avenue, Shellharbour City Centre
Cost: Free, book here.
Prepare to be delighted by the beautiful artworks you can create using materials from every Aussie’s happy place – Bunnings. In this hands-on session, an expert from Bunnings will take you step-by-step through the process of making a creative textured art canvas. No experience is needed, and all materials will be supplied. This class is suitable for adults aged 18+.
See some of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s most beloved characters come to life on stage. Image: Axel Scheffler.
The Gruffalo
When: Friday 16 August, 10 am to 12:30 pm
Where: IPAC, 32 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Cost: General $29, school groups 8+ $23, book here.
After sell-out seasons across the world, including London’s West End and Broadway, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning picture book comes to life at IPAC. Join a very clever mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in this magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book. Searching for hazelnuts, the mouse meets the cunning fox, the eccentric old owl and the party-mad snake. Will the story of the terrifying Gruffalo save the mouse from ending up as dinner for these hungry woodland creatures? After all, there’s no such thing as a Gruffalo – is there?
Anytime presents inspiring, edge-of-your-seat footage. Image: Anthill Films.
Anytime premiere
When: Friday 16 August, 7 pm
Where: Gala Twin Cinema, 204 Cowper Street, Warrawong
Cost: $15.50, book here.
Join Wollongong Mountain Bike Club for the highly anticipated premiere of Anytime, a new mountain bike feature film to be released from Red Bull and Anthill Films. It follows top freeride mountain bike athletes as they push the boundaries of their sport in challenging and previously unridden terrains around the world. All proceeds of the event go to the Wollongong Mountain Bike Club. There will be lots of prizes and everyone who has a ticket and shows up on the night will be in the running.
With this line-up, Frank and Madison remind us that we see a lot of the same issues in 2024 that we saw in 1964. Image: Frank Sultana.
Revolution: A Night of Protest Songs
When: Friday 16 August, 8 pm
Where: Wollongong Town Hall, corner Crown and Kembla streets, Wollongong
Cost: Premium $45, standard $40, standing $30, book here.
Award-winning Australian blues artist and winner of the prestigious International Blues Challenge Frank Sultana is accompanied by partner Madison Willcocks in performing this brilliant show. The line-up of songs from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, by artists such as Bob Dylan, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, John Prine, the Byrds, John Lennon and Peter Gabriel among others, presents a reverent tribute to the turbulent times and social upheaval that inspired them.
Nathan Harrison invites you to take a stickybeak into hidden stories of Aussie birds. Photo: Supplied/MerringongTheatre Company.
Birdsong of Tomorrow
When: Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August, 7:30 pm
Where: IPAC, 32 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Cost: Pay what you feel, book here.
Every day in gardens and streets, birds sing. They sing songs passed down through generations, songs of a world that’s gone and a world that’s changing … Part of Merrigong Theatre Company’s annual artists’ program, MERRIGONGX presents Nathan Harrison’s Birdsong of Tomorrow at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. A blend of science, storytelling, music and projection, this is a playful and heartfelt look at the birds around us, and what they might sing when we’re gone.
Saturday
A chance to witness the supreme virtuosity of one of the greatest violinists of our time, right here in Wollongong. Photo: Jaimi Joy.
Augustin Hadelich and The Sydney Symphony Orchestra
When: Saturday 17 August, 7:30 pm
Where: Wollongong Town Hall, corner Crown and Kembla streets, Wollongong
Cost: From $30 to $68, book here.
Sydney Symphony Orchestra has embarked on a regional tour with Grammy award-winning and internationally renowned violinist Augustin Hadelich – and the next stop is Wollongong. Don’t miss your chance to witness the supreme virtuosity of one of the greatest violinists of our time. Augustin has created a rich concert experience with this selection of truly captivating pieces for violin.
This week’s Book Week theme is “Reading is Magic”. Image: CBCA.
Wollongong Book Week Art Competition Exhibition
When: Saturday 17 to Saturday 24 August, library opening hours
Where: All Wollongong City libraries
Cost: Free.
Wollongong City Council’s annual Children’s Book Week art competition has inspired kids from Kindergarten to Year 6 to create original artworks based on the 2024 CBCA Children’s Book Week® theme, “Reading is Magic”. These wonderful creations will be on show across the city’s seven library locations. Each library will proudly display its local entries during open hours, allowing you to explore the unique interpretations and creativity of our young community members.
Thursday
Meet the man himself behind the McGuigan wine range over a beautiful four-course dinner. Photo: Waterfront Tavern.
Meet the Maker: Dinner with Neil McGuigan
When: Thursday 22 August, 6:30 pm
Where: Waterfront Tavern, 11 Marina Drive, Shell Cove
Cost: $98, book here.
You’re invited to an exclusive evening at the Waterfront Tavern featuring renowned winemaker Neil McGuigan. This is your chance to indulge in a unique dining experience where great food meets exceptional wines. Waterfront’s executive chef has prepared a special four-course menu that will be paired with seven wines from the Neil McGuigan Tier One and Five Barrels range. Each course promises to complement the unique character and complexity of Neil McGuigan’s award-winning wines.
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