Bonafide blues legend Chris Cain is coming to the Gong. Photo: Jim Mills.
This week brings opportunities to be entertained and educated across the Illawarra.
There will be chances to hear from an Aussie parenting expert, a person late diagnosed with autism and ADHD with lived experience, or a skilled green thumb.
Feast your eyes and ears on a long beloved opera, an Irish dance and magic sensation or an international blues legend, all coming to Wollongong this week.
Do your part for charity (and fitness) and simply take in the latest exhibition from the Illawarra Association for Visual Artists.
Here are our top nine picks for the week.
Friday
Shame by Karen Heffernan. Image: Karen Heffernan.
Ways of Seeing opening night
When: Friday 23 August, 6 pm
Where: Project Contemporary Artspace, 255 Keira Street, Wollongong
Cost: Free.
What is it you see? How do you see this, and how do you portray your narrative visually? The artist is forever challenged by “what” and “how”. Welcome to the world of art where you, the audience, can see and engage with a breadth of representation and inspiration gleaned from historical and contemporary times. The latest exhibition by the Illawarra Association for Visual Artists (IAVA) brings together 21 local artists celebrating creativity. Join IAVA for drinks and nibbles on the opening night. The exhibition is on now until Sunday 8 September, and the gallery is open Wednesday to Friday 10 am to 5 pm and Saturdays and Sundays 11 am to 4 pm.
US blues master Chris Cain is stopping by the Sorrento Room at Centro CBD. Photo: Supplied.
Chris Cain (USA) with Special Guests 2024 Australian Tour
When: Friday 23 August, 6:30 pm
Where: Sorrento Room, Centro CBD, 28 Stewart Street, Wollongong
Cost: Dinner and show $95, show only $66, book here.
B.B. King once said, “Chris Cain? Now that boy can PLAY the guitar!” Don’t miss the US blues guitar master when he makes his pit stop in Wollongong on his Australian tour. Known for his soulful renditions and Memphis-style electric blues, the tour promises to be a celebration of blues mastery, with Cain’s powerful vocals and jazz-inspired guitar riffs leaving an indelible mark on Illawarra audiences.
This exhilarating production has broken barriers by fusing unparalleled art forms and is more spectacular than ever before. Photo: Base Entertainment.
Celtic Illusions
When: Friday 23 August, 8 pm
Where: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, 32 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Cost: Adult $99, children under 13 $89.90, family and groups 10+ $90, concession $94.90, book here.
The Irish dance and grand illusion sensation that has taken Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada and the USA by storm is coming to Wollongong on its nationwide tour. Billed as “one of the most unique productions touring the world”, fans who have seen previous shows will be amazed at how high the bar can keep rising. Starring the multitalented former lead dancer of Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance and Star Illusionist Anthony Street, with Georgia May – a marvel in both dance and illusion – expect a breathtaking array of experiences, fusing Irish dance, magic and influential flavours of Fosse and Michael Jackson, with a Broadway style.
Saturday
Celebrate CBCA Children’s Book Week® with Perform! Education. Photo: Wollongong City Council.
Maybe a Miracle! A Book Week Musical Adventure
When: Saturday 24 August, Corrimal, 10 to 11 am and Dapto, 12:30 to 1:30 pm
Where: Corrimal Library, 15 Short Street, Corrimal and Dapto Library, Dapto Ribbonwood Centre, 93/93-109 Princes Highway, Dapto
Cost: Free, book Corrimal Library here or book Dapto Library here.
Perform! Education’s new musical Maybe a Miracle! is coming to Corrimal and Dapto libraries for Book Week. It follows Charlie – a lad who’s a bit overwhelmed by life and in search of a miracle to change things for the better. Could the magic of books help him find his way? This interactive adventure is the perfect way for primary school kids to cap off Book Week, promising an afternoon of laughter, fun and imagination.
Support UOW students Sunny and Jordan in their quest to compete in the Sydney marathon and raise funds for Beyond Blue. Image: UOW.
24-Hour Charity Relay
When: Saturday 24 August, noon to Sunday 25 August, noon
Where: Sports Hub, Building 9, University of Wollongong, 9 Northfields Avenue, Keiraville
Cost: $5, book here.
The Illawarra community is invited to come along for a 24-hour charity relay at the UOW Sports Hub, supporting UOW students Sunny and Jordan, as they raise funds for Beyond Blue by running in the Sydney Marathon. The 24-hour relay is open to everyone, and all you need to join is a team of at least four people. There’s no upper limit, so feel free to bring as many friends as you like to make up your team. Win by raising the most funds for Sunny and Jordan or by completing the most laps in 24 hours. The only rule? Your team must keep at least one person always walking or running on the track.
Sunday
Are you “neuro spicy”? Join in a warm, empowering vibe and a chance to connect with others who get it. Image: Society City.
Neuro Spicy Hub
When: Sunday 25 August, noon to 3 pm
Where: Society City, 274 Crown Street, Wollongong
Cost: Free entry.
Neuro Spicy Hub is your go-to space for neurodiverse folks to connect, uplift, learn, and celebrate the magic of “Neuro Spicy” minds. It’s a space that’s all about embracing what makes you unique and finding strength in your differences. A person late diagnosed with autism and ADHD with lived experience, a passionate neurodivergent advocate and a trauma-informed mental health worker will be your guide and support, making sure the hub feels like home.
Monday
La Boheme
When: Monday 25 and Tuesday 27 August, 7:30 pm
Where: IMB Theatre, IPAC, 32 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Cost: Premium $99, adult $84, concession, student $79, group 8+ $77, under 30s $69, family $276, book here.
On a freezing Christmas Eve, love sparks. Two hands meet in the dark and four friends’ lives change forever. When Mimi meets Rodolfo, it’s love at first touch. They head out to bustling Cafe Momus, where the feisty Musetta and Marcello rekindle their relationship. But even the deepest love can’t warm a freezing winter … Puccini’s score has always captured the soaring spirit of young love, and this new production breathes fresh life into one of the world’s favourite operas. Award-winning director Dean Bryant (Anything Goes, Sweet Charity) brings his trademark wit and vivacity to this new staging, capturing the time in life when young friends feel they’ll live forever.
Wednesday
Discover the psychological secrets that build children’s sense of identity, strengths, and growth mindset. Image: Happy Families Schools.
Resilience with Dr Justin Coulson, Parental Guidance Workshop
When: Wednesday 28 August, 6:30 pm
Where: St Johns Dapto, 8 Jerematta Street, Dapto
Cost: $39, book here.
Studies are pointing to a serious decline in the resilience and wellbeing of our children and young people. Secure your seats now for a parenting session with the founder of HappyFamilies.com.au and host of Australia’s number one podcast Happy Families, Dr Justin Coulson, as he hones in on the topic of resilience. Parents will learn the psychological secrets that build their child’s sense of identity, strengths, and growth mindset in order to perform better, be happier and build resilience.
Please Note: This event is only for adults.
Learn tips and tricks to become the pot plant parent you always wished you were. Photo: Simol1407.
Green Thumb: Indoor Plants and Propagation
When: Wednesday 28 August, 10:30 to 11:30 am
Where: Oak Flats Library, 61 Central Avenue, Oak Flats
Cost: Free, book here.
Shellharbour City Libraries’ Green Thumb series this month focuses on House Plants 101. In this session learn about indoor plants and how you can begin your propagation journey. Dirt Gurl Bek will be introducing you to the basics of lighting, watering, soil and propagation. Everything is provided, no experience is needed, but the session is best suited to adults.
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