Welcome to another newsy letter featuring “what’s gone down” as this year draws to a finale, and we look forward to 2008 by looking back at 2007 – isn’t that clever?
Spring 2007
Warmer than usual, although we have been privy to many short, sharp storms of an evening, and the earth says ‘thank you’. The trees and plants are looking lush and tropical and the air feels clean and fresh. Spring is truly a wonderful time of year anywhere, but particularly in Byron, such a vibrant area.
Shopping has never been so diverse and so interesting with many new designer shops opening in the area – ‘In Good Company’ has joined the new list of shops for the shopaholics amongst us, proffering affordable art from local artists in a variety of media. Read a book and a have a coffee at Mary Ryan’s, eat at one of the myriad fabulous and innovative restaurants stretched out along the main streets and hidden alleyways, and drop in to one of the local bar/pubs to hear live music any day of the week. Some gigs are even free, and you can take the children. It is all happening, every day, if you can drag yourself away from the beach.
Active theatre groups abound (including NORPA based in Lismore, bringing dance, theatre, opera and symphonic treats.) Byron Community and Cultural Centre also brings top class acts and included the Byron ‘Shorts’ - short films by local and other filmmakers, something not to be missed if you like your films short and sharp. Flamenco guitarists, stand-up comedians, art fundraisers, musicians and tap-dancers – if they’re out there, they will eventually perform at the Community Centre. This is also the venue for the Southern Cross University’s summer law course, and for NIDA’s summer theatre, film and television courses. After all, what is a Community and Cultural centre for? They do it so well!
Five minutes up the road is heritage Bangalow with more fabulous streets lined with delicious eateries (the Bangalow Pub has completed its renovations and their restaurant now boasts up-market outdoor eating with a great menu selection including the famous Bangalow pork), quality shops (where you can buy anything from a Persian rug to an evening frock, earrings and a travel bag to pack it all up when traveling home) or just wander the “preserved for future generations to enjoy” streets with their heritage-listed buildings. The historic Bangalow Agricultural and Industrial Hall is one of the main venues for Ku Productions, who bring a variety of acts from far and wide, for all viewers and listeners pleasure – anything from percussion bands from Afghanistan to Missy Higgins belting out her latest tunes. A diverse mix indeed, and worth being part of their email list – plan your next trip around a great concert!
The A & I Hall also houses ‘Art on Sunday’ – which coincides with the Bangalow Market Day, the fourth Sunday of any given month. It features many local artists who share their ideas, their art practice and their enthusiasm with each other, and with the art punter looking to find that object of their desire at an affordable price. Check out the Echo, our local newspaper, for upcoming events, gigs, festivals, film, live comedy (as opposed to dead comedy, which is not very funny now, is it?) and anything else that may be of interest to you. A plethora of enjoyment can be had without too much strain, or without having to travel too far a-field.
September saw:
The Brunswick Heads Triathlon, a fun event giving people a chance to try their hand (feet, body, muscles, brain) at this major event, without competing against the big guns. Proceeds went to the Byron Bay Surf Lifesaving Club and the Brunswick Valley Rescue Squad, a very worthy cause indeed.
A Taste of Byron Festival, held on the beachfront, on the weekend of the 22nd/23rd, was another success story, this year’s theme being Chili, so many stalls were HOT! Even the rain didn’t cool too many people off. If your taste buds were still intact, but the brain needed cooling, there was also a Margarita competition. Soothing, very soothing.
The Big Scrub Rainforest Day was held at Rocky Creek Dam on the 9th, and the Fatherhood Festival returned to Bangalow – great family entertainment was enjoyed by all (not just the dad’s and their kids) with some well attended panel discussions. Spaghetti Circus’s performance “Ready, Steady, Go” was seen at the Byron Community Centre – a slapstick sport theme – always worth a go, look, see.
The East Coast Sculpture Show, hosted by Thursday Plantation, will be open every day until the end of January 2008 – worth a wander through the gardens and check out the innovative and sometimes challenging sculpture.
Ongoing throughout the year is the Blue Birdy Jazz sessions at the Buddha Bar every Wednesday from 8pm, featuring some great musicians on a regular basis. Check it out if you’re in town.
October hosted many events as well, some of them being the film night at the Bangalow Hotel, showcasing some of the local talent. Musicians often gather at this drinking hole to jam and “have a go”, grab your instrument and head on up there (phone first, to be sure it’s on, unless you like flying solo). The Byron Bay Lighthouse Fun Run raised $5,500 for the Cancer Council via the participants who ran an 8km circuit through the town and up to the Lighthouse. The ABC TV drama series is now complete, too, filmed in and around Byron Bay – ‘East of Everything’ will hit our screens in early 2008 and something we all look forward to viewing and discussing!
November saw the Byron Latin Fiesta and Main Party in the Backroom of the Great Northern Hotel, with a ten piece Latin Band, performances and a DJ. The Backroom is a venue for many and varied artists to perform and show off their wares. Always diverse - always very exciting.
Meanwhile back in Bangalow, November 16th/17th, the 108th Annual Bangalow Show went ahead despite the equine ‘flu, showcasing the inaugural ‘Camel Cup’ and ‘Bangalow Idol’ (those camels sure can belt out a tune when they have to) not forgetting the Saturday fireworks and also featuring the lawn-mower races, making the Bangalow Show even more attractive to the family showgoers, young and old. Mullumbimby, only eight years behind (100th anniversary, happy anniversary Mullumbimby!) took place earlier in the month. The Bangalow Pacific Songwriters’ Festival (3rd and 4th), in its second year, and the Byron Bay Cookie Company Moonshine Cinema outdoor classics cinema weekends at the Byron Bay Beach Resort, began and continue throughout the summer.
OK, we have reached December already! Byron Bay Couture Showcase in the Buddha Bar with organisers giving a platform to local designers to showcase their work in a sophisticated environment. Great to see what the fashion world is putting forward. Golf? The PGS Seniors Golf Championship will be happening 9th to 11th, which takes us into the New Years Eve celebrations – now that is a leap, isn’t it!!! New Year’s Eve will be a family fun event this year, with a non-motorised parade, and a light show replacing the usual fireworks. The “Mullum Under the Stars Christmas Celebration” (as Christmas normally comes before the New Year, ho ho ho) will host a Carols by Candlelight, so lift up your voices in song……………………
HAPPY NEW YEAR…………………………
Things to look forward to in the New Year would see us looking to January 2008:
New Years’ Day – “Electric Sunshine Superdisco” event in Mullumbimby, a cool party for the new year, but if you want to go to Ballina, hey, they also do a New Years’ Day event. If you’re gay as well as happy, get along to the Tropical Fruits New Years Eve and Day Party in Lismore – for further information go to www.tropicalfruits.org.au. The Bangalow A & I Hall will be hosting the “Flickerfest” film festival. Check out the new Byron Entertainment Centre on Centennial Circuit in the Industry Estate – many events are hosted there.
February 16th, if you’re here, why not go to the Big Joke Comedy Festival in Bangalow? You might need a laugh around February! The Byron Vista Social Club is active every month at the Byron Community and Cultural Centre, or out at the Ewingsdale Hall. Last year saw the birth of the North Coast Ukulele Collective at the Club. Men and their ukes. How proud their mum’s must be…………………………….
March already, so starts the Byron Bay Film Festival with international and national submissions. Go to www.bbff.com.au for more information. Want to enter your team in the Byron Shire Relay for Life at Bangalow? Then hop to it, last year’s event raised almost $20,000. Now, when we are talking March in this here neck of the woods, we are talking the Blues Festival! Easter Weekend (20th to 24th) will see the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival thriving at the original festival site at Belongil Fields, before moving in 2009 for its 20th anniversary to a purpose-built site. The recently won the “The Greener Festival Award 2007” so keep up the good work, blues team, and blues supporters.
April follows March, as it has since the calendar was set in stone (woops) and the Byron Underwater Festival is being held 30th April through to 4th May. Dive, snorkel, kayak or just observe the Cape Byron Marine Park during this Festival. Stand-up comedy open-mike monthly meetings are held at the Why Not Restaurant in this quieter period, so if you have a funny bone and you want to point it at someone, come along!
In May you can attend the Beach Hotel Byron Bay Ocean Swim Classic, setting off from Wategos Beach. The first weekend in May sees the Nimbin MardiGrass festival and cannabis law reform rally. Really. If you get over that one, perhaps you would like to enter the Byron Bay Triathlon with categories from 1500 metres to 40km. Try running 40km after the MardiGrass – go on – I dare you………………………..
June is Jazz and Rhythm Fiesta, held in Bangalow and is a celebration of improvisation. Ballina Race Course is the venue for the Byron Bay Cup Day, and you can swan around in your best frock and hat, take your wife as well, she might look better in that outfit! If you have any money left, why not put it toward that piece of artwork you thought you couldn’t afford? The FEHVA art exhibition is on again in Bangalow, now a ten day event (FEHVA stands for forty-eight hours of visual art, but as you can see, it has upgraded to ten days, which should make it TDOVA, but that sounds silly, doesn’t it?) Within these ten days you can immerse yourself in all things arty from art exhibitions to workshops and prizes. Check out the www.FEHVA.com website and get your applications in for the 2008 artfest.
There is also the Lismore Lantern Parade, including fireworks and a street party, and this event is a real eye-opener. If you’re into Lanterns, this is a must see event. Brunswick Heads has the “Old and Gold” town-wide garage sale, where you can pick up a bargain. Classical music by the sea is held at the Flametree at Linnaeus Festival, where you can listen to classical music at dusk by the sea, drinking a glass of vintage wine, and reveling in how lucky you are to be able to enjoy all of this in such a wonderful country!
July already, how time flies. The Byron Bay Writers’ Festival is on again. 2007 was a massive success, with writers already lining up to be included for the 2008 event. Keep your eyes posted for updates.
August, not the winter of our discontent, will see us bopping and hopping and hipping at Splendour in the Grass, probably trialing its new site at Yelgun, North Byron Shire Parklands – expect tickets to go on sale around May, get in quick as the tickets are here one minute and gone the next. If you miss out, you can always go to the Ocean Shores Art Expo, or the Health and Herb Festival in Lismore! So much to do, so little time…………………..
Hasta la vista.
