Lightsaber demos, cosplay and a real-deal Batmobile — Comic Gong headlines the social calendar this week. Photo: Chasing Rabbits.
This week, Comic Gong swoops into town with a Batmobile, sabres and a celebration of all things pop culture.
Literary lovers can catch the Shellharbour Author Panel, a satellite event of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, spotlighting the power of stories closer to home.
Need something to fire you up? The Wollongong Chilli Festival will be bringing the heat (and then some), while for the curious and green-thumbed, a Kiama talk on native bees offers insight into these tiny environmental heroes.
Warrigal gets up to speed with aged care in the Illawarra, the Vintage & Art Bazaar in Coledale promises rare finds and local creativity, and the powerful stage adaptation of The Dictionary of Lost Words lands in Wollongong, bringing language, feminism and history to life.
Whether you’re in the mood for a spicy challenge, a vintage wander or a literary deep-dive, the Illawarra’s cultural calendar has you covered.
Friday
Support local writers. Image: Shellharbour City Libraries.
Local Author Panel Event
When: Friday 23 May, 6 to 8 pm
Where: Shellharbour Civic Centre, City Library, 76 Cygnet Avenue, Shellharbour City Centre
Cost: Free | Book via eventbrite.
Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the literary talent within the Illawarra community. Award-winning and best-selling authors Hayley Scrivenor (Dirt Town, Girl Falling), Dinuka McKenzie (The Torrent, Taken and Tipping Point) and Camille Booker (What if I Fly? and The Woman in the Waves) converge on home soil for this special event coinciding with the library’s Sydney Writers’ Festival programming.
Engage with the authors themselves as they share the stories behind their books, their creative processes and the journey to publication. Browse through the book displays, chat with the authors and perhaps even purchase a signed copy of your next favourite read. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Saturday
Celebrate your love of pop culture with fans from across the region at this free and inclusive event. Image: Marcelo Baez.
Comic Gong 2025
When: Saturday 24 May, 10 am to 3 pm
Where: Dapto Ribbonwood Centre, 93-109 Princes Highway, Dapto
Cost: Free entry.
This annual glorification of all things geek will showcase trade and artist stalls, cosplay competitions, comics, art, collectibles, cosplay props and apparel, arcade and tabletop gaming, exhibits and entertainment all under the one roof. There’s also loads of all-ages fun with roving performers, LEGO robotics, pinball machines, a Star Wars fan club, the Batmobile and more.
Sunday
Get ready for the hottest event in Wollongong. Photo: Stone & Bear photography.
Wollongong Chilli Festival
When: Sunday 25 May, 10 am to 3 pm
Where: Crown Street Mall, Wollongong.
Cost: Free.
Calling all chilli enthusiasts and those ready to spice up their day – this is the perfect outing for chilli lovers with an array of tantalising chilli products and mouthwatering spicy foods. Explore food trucks offering a variety of tasty options, sip on delightful wines and refreshing beers, browse diverse stalls and enjoy live music throughout the day.
Monday
This all-community event marks the start of Reconciliation Week. Photo: Peter Izzard Kiama Council.
National Sorry Day
When: Monday 26 May, 10 am to 1 pm
Where: The Pavilion, 2 Bong Bong Street, Kiama
Cost: Free.
Sorry Day marks the start of Reconciliation Week, which is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. It remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, known as the Stolen Generations.
A community event for all members, Kiama Council’s Sorry Day ceremony includes an Aboriginal flag raising, Welcome to Country, the council’s welcome speech, Stolen Generations storytelling and a smoking ceremony.
Tuesday
Such A Resounding Silence
When: 27 May from 5:45 pm
Where: Gala Cinema, 204 Cowper Street, Warrawong
Cost: Adult $25 | Student $20 | Pay what you can option | Book via Humanitix.
In this documentary Emmanuelle Beart lifts the veil on a dark and largely taboo topic — incest. This powerful and inspiring French film confronts the realities and showcases the incredible resilience and courage of survivors.
Your panel facilitator is journalist and presenter Antoinette Lattouf, and panelists are journalist, author and speaker Jess Hill, Stepping Out CEO Melissa Holmes, Wollongong Citizen of the Year for 2025 Malika Reese and Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre Head of Programs Dr Karen Williams. Guest speakers will be No Laughing Matter podcast series creator Tanya Lee and No Laughing Matter narrator Zoe Carides. There will be complimentary drinks and catering by Jules from Balinese Spice Magic.
Discover the incredible diversity of native bees in Kiama. Image: Kiama Library.
The Secret life of Kiama’s Native Bees
When: Tuesday 27 May, 5:30 to 6:30 pm
Where: Kiama Library, 7 Railway Parade, Kiama
Cost: Free | Book via TryBooking.
From fluffy Teddy Bear Bees to crafty Leafcutter Bees and cheeky Domino Cuckoo Bees, Kiama is home to an incredible diversity of native bees. Their significance to the ecosystem cannot be overstated. Join native bee enthusiast Alison Mellor for this free talk on some of the fascinating insights into the secret lives of Kiama’s wild native bees and learn how you can help cultivate an environment where they can thrive.
Thursday
This free seminar is designed to help locals navigate the complex and often confusing aged care system. Image: Warrigal.
Aged Care Pathways Illawarra
When: Wednesday 28 May, 10 am to noon
Where: Warrigal Central, Level 2, 10 Pioneer Drive, Oak Flats
Cost: Free.
Hosted by aged care provider Warrigal, this community seminar is designed to demystify the aged care system and empower older people and their families with the knowledge and support they need to explore their options. Get advice and practical support information from industry experts including financial basics, hear first-hand stories from local families, and get an overview of the local support and community services available.
The morning will conclude with a light morning tea and informal Q&A, offering attendees the chance to connect directly with speakers and support professionals.
Calling all treasure hunters – this event will help raise funds for community writing programs. Image: South Coast Writers Centre.
Vintage & Art Bazaar
When: Saturday 24 May, 3 to 8 pm and Sunday 25 May, 9 am to 2 pm
Where: Coledale Community Hall, 745 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Coledale
Cost: Free entry.
The inaugural SCWC Vintage & Art Bazaar will bring together a curated line-up of stallholders sharing a wide range of local art, handmade goods, rare vintage items and unique retro products. Saturday will feature a bustling twilight market from 3 to 8pm, accompanied by vinyl DJs. Sunday is an easy “market day out” with the monthly Coledale Markets happening just down the road at Coledale Public School. Grab a coffee and crepe from Saltie Dog and enjoy dinner at the neighbouring Coledale RSL.
Thursday
Delight in this beautiful and transporting reflection on love and language in a stunning stage adaptation. Photo: Prudence Upton.
The Dictionary of Lost Words
When: Thursday 29 May to Saturday 7 June, various times
Where: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, 32 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Cost: Premium $119 | Adult $99 | Pension/Student $89 | Groups 8+/Under 30s $84
It’s 1886, and the very first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary is being compiled. Young Esme Nicoll has a front-row seat. Well, she’s hiding under the sorting table, anyway. As her father and his male colleagues decide which words stay and which go, Esme collects the discarded scraps to compile her own radical, magical dictionary …
A sweeping historical tale, The Dictionary of Lost Words follows Esme from her childhood into adulthood at the height of the women’s suffrage movement and the beginning of the First World War. This brilliant stage adaptation by playwright Verity Laughton of Pip Williams’ best-selling novel is one of Illawarra theatre’s highlights of the year.
