Testing what holds, what breaks and what must be remade, Bundanon’s Make Good Festival returns to connect a community motivated by curiosity and making positive change. Photo: Bundanon.
The Illawarra is rising to meet the autumn chill with a spectacular line-up of events designed to get you out of the house and into the cultural thick of things.
Whether you are looking to embrace cowboy culture, soak up some sublime local artistry or discover our very own farm, there is something for everyone.
Music lovers are particularly spoiled for choice, with everything from world-class jazz to classical performances all along the coast.
Add in some powerful independent theatre and a glowing community lantern parade, and you have the perfect excuse to round up your favourite people and explore the very best our vibrant region has to offer.
Multiple Days
Eboney’s contemporary Aboriginal art leans heavily on symbolism, and speaks to themes of family, reconnection and resilience, with heavy reference to the fauna, the flora, the waterholes, rivers and landscapes of her remembered youth. Photo: Eboney Jade Hall.
Eboney Jade Hall: First Ever Exhibition
When: Thursday 28 to Sunday 31 May, 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Clifton School of Arts, 338 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Clifton
Cost: Free.
Perched spectacularly along the coastline near the Sea Cliff Bridge, the Clifton School of Arts plays host to a major milestone for a rising local talent. Untrained Tarrawanna painter and mother of three, Eboney Jade Hall, is unveiling her very first solo exhibition. Her bold, colourful and dynamic works blend the lines and perspectives of Central Australian art with her own unique style, reflecting a deep love for the places she calls home. Featuring both loaned pieces and new works for sale, this weekend-only gallery showing is a beautiful window into Country.
Make Good Festival 2026
When: Saturday 30 to Sunday 31 May, 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Bundanon, 170 Riversdale Road, Illaroo
Cost: Various | Book via Bundanon.
Immerse yourself in a two-day ideas festival championing curiosity, creative minds and practical action. Featuring an inspiring line-up of artists, authors and doers, the 2026 program presents more than 30 talks, workshops, performances and hands-on experiences to explore bold ways to shape the world we want to live in. Highlights include a panel on the power of poetry featuring Claire G. Coleman and Jazz Money, cult hit experimental performance Queer PowerPoint, an immersive outdoor performance called The Endlings and workshops ranging from coffin weaving to embroidery. Foodies can also sample regional delights at the returning Providore Marketplace.
Bring some tissues, but expect to laugh just as much as you cry. Image: Neil Gooding Productions and Woodward Productions.
Steel Magnolias
When: Wednesday 3 to Thursday 11 June, 7:30 to 10 pm
Where: IMB Theatre, IPAC, 32 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Cost: Premium $119 | Adult $99 | Concession / Student $89 | Group 8+ / Under 30s $84 | Family of four $336 | Book via TicketSearch.
Step inside Truvy’s Southern beauty salon, where six extraordinary women face life’s ultimate highs and lows with sharp wit, deep courage and impeccably styled hair. Robert Harling’s timeless, hilarious and heartbreaking masterpiece returns to the stage in a dazzling new Australian production directed by Lee Lewis. Featuring a powerhouse cast of six actors, this beloved story delivers a beautiful reminder of the unbreakable bonds of female friendship.
Friday
Music and nature collide in a breathtaking performance by the acclaimed Bowerbird Collective. Image: The Bowerbird Collective.
Where Song Began
When: Friday 29 May, 7:30 to 9 pm
Where: Wollongong Art Gallery, 46 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Cost: $45 | Book via Humanitix.
Celebrating the 125th birthday of BirdLife Australia, this internationally renowned production takes audiences on a sonic journey exploring the evolution of songbirds. Violinist Simone Slattery and cellist Anthony Albrecht weave 300 years of classical compositions, from Bach to Arvo Pärt, together with immersive soundscapes and evocative visual projections. It is a deeply moving tribute to the Australian landscape that promises to alter how you listen to the skies.
Saturday
This is a fantastic opportunity for the whole family to discover the Illawarra’s own social enterprise farm. Photo: Green Connect.
GreenConnect Community Open Day
When: Saturday 30 May, 9 am to 2 pm
Where: Green Connect Farm, 6 Anna Avenue, Warrawong
Cost: Free | Book via Humanitix.
Keen to see how sustainable agriculture changes lives? Green Connect is throwing open its farm gates for a relaxed community day out. Visitors can take a stroll through the lush fair-food gardens, meet the passionate team and discover how this urban oasis creates meaningful employment for former refugees and young locals. It is a fantastic opportunity to ask questions, learn about organic food production and reconnect with the earth right in the heart of the Illawarra.
The Illawarra Choral Society is launching its 2026 season with a sublime afternoon of classical masterpieces that promises to stir the soul. Photo: Prakash Gopal.
Grace and Grandeur
When: Saturday 30 May, 2 to 4 pm
Where: St Francis Xavier Cathedral, 36 Harbour Street, Wollongong
Cost: General $45 | Concession $40 | Child $15 | Book via Humanitix.
Set inside the stunning, acoustic sanctuary of St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Grace and Grandeur takes listeners on a musical journey from radiant celebration to intimate lyricism. The program features Vivaldi’s vibrant and joyful Gloria, juxtaposed against the poetic warmth of Schubert’s Mass in G and Symphony No. 5. It is an uplifting and deeply human concert experience that classical music lovers — and anyone looking for a peaceful weekend escape — won’t want to miss.
The Shell Cove waterfront comes to vibrant life in this KidsFest highlight. Image: KidsFest.
KidsFest @ The Marina & Lantern Parade
When: Saturday 30 May, 2 to 7 pm
Where: The Waterfront Shell Cove, 9 Marina Drive, Shell Cove
Cost: Free.
Brighten up your weekend with a magical evening at the marina. Registration for facilitated lantern-building workshops is now closed, but there’s plenty of other things to see, do, taste and hear at this KidsFest highlight. With entertainment provided by the Junkyard Rascals, Milk Crate Circus and the upbeat sounds of HONK! OZ musicians, the energy will be electric, culminating in a beautiful Welcome to Country and a glowing twilight parade around the water that will delight kids of all ages.
High octane, high stakes and a lot of heart at Rodeo 4 Life. Image: MJ Rowles Rodeo 4 Life.
Rodeo 4 Life
When: Saturday 30 May, 5:30 to 9 pm
Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Crown and Harbour streets, Wollongong
Cost: $81.52 to $172.26 | Book via Ticketmaster.
Dust off your cowboy boots because the MJ Rowles Rodeo 4 Life is riding into Wollongong for a high-octane night of entertainment. Watch Australia’s top bull riders go head-to-head in a thrilling display of grit and skill, complemented by live music from country star Robbie Mortimer. Toss in the Outback Stockman’s Show and the antics of rodeo clown Big Al and you have a wild night out that also happens to donate 100 per cent of its profits to life-saving research at the RPA Transplant Institute.
Watch the Hilary Geddes Quartet weave their magic on stage. Photo: Hilary Geddes.
Hilary Geddes Quartet
When: Saturday 30 May, 7 to 10 pm
Where: Thirroul Railway Institute Hall, 378 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul
Cost: General $30 | Student $25 | Book via Humanitix.
Award-winning guitarist and composer Hilary Geddes is bringing her stellar quartet to Thirroul for an unforgettable night of emotionally resonant music. The 2021 Freedman Jazz Fellow merges jazz, indie and experimental influences into a bold, improvisation-rich set alongside a powerhouse rhythm section. Known for her work with rock outfit The Buoys as well as major jazz festivals, Geddes delivers a performance packed with heart and nuance that will captivate music purists and casual listeners alike.
