12th Annual Sydney Comedy Festival
It’s that time of year again – the Sydney Comedy festival is back, delivering over 200 comedic performances to have you clutching your sides and weeping with mirth. There are many familiar faces both from home and abroad, including Spicks and Specks‘ Adam Richard, Nazeem Hussain and the indomitable Arj Barker.
The line-up of fresh faces demonstrates the new blood entering the Aussie comedy scene, and these newcomer performances are budget-friendly at just $15. Happily for us, the Inner West is playing host to many of these comic gems at local venues including the Enmore Theatre and The Factory between Monday April 18th to Sunday May 15th.
Jump onto the Sydney Comedy Fest website to find a performance near you and snap up your tickets! For an evening of hilarity, it’s a small price to pay.
Ciao is giving away two double passes to The Best of the Fest showing at The Factory Theatre on Fri 22nd April. See our Giveaways page for details.
Lilyfield Bluesfest
Bluesfest is returning to Lilyfield with a diverse line-up of acts to please any music enthusiast. Jan Preston’s Boogie Circus will kick off the festivities at 4pm, fronted by Australia’s own Queen of boogie piano and joined by Annandale’s Margeaux Rolleston. Taking over at 5pm will be The Pigs and their addictive brand of hillbilly pop (they have regaled audiences the world over with covers of hit songs, as well as their self-penned anthems).
Mental As Anything will wrap up the festival at 7pm. Starting out as students and playing at pubs and university events, Mental as Anything’s repertoire ranges from pop and rockabilly to country. In 1978 they took the country by storm with their hit ‘The Nips Are Getting Bigger’. Mental As Anything have been touring with their two original vocalists since the ’70s, and will be gracing the Bluesfest stage with their stream of classic hits. Bring a picnic, relax and enjoy this unmissable free event.
Memorial Park, Lilyfield, Sunday April 10th, 4pm-7pm
Fri 1st to Fri 8th April
Leichhardt Seniors Festival
Leichhardt is bringing a creative focus to its celebration of the NSW Seniors Festival this year. On Friday April 1st the opening of the Age of Reinvention exhibition at Balmain Library will showcase poetry, flash-fiction and photography from the Seniors Festival competition. Later that evening, the Gala Celebration at Balmain Town Hall will feature music, comedy and canapes. The following week will be filled with workshops ranging from writing and meditation to social media. Visit the Leichhardt Council website for a full list of activities, venues and booking information. Most events are free but booking is essential.
Sat 2nd Apr, 9am-11am
Mini-Movers Free Dance Workshop
Q2 Dance is facilitating a free dance workshop specifically designed for kids aged three to six years old, suited to their developmental stages in movement and coordination. Here your child can begin the journey that will last a lifetime: a love of music and dance. The class for kids aged three to four years of age runs from 9:30am to 10:10am and the class for ages five to six from 10:15am to 11am. It’s a great chance to hang out with other little movers and shakers! Email info@q2dance.com to book your place or call 0403 961 871 for more information.
Where: 1/105-107 Parramatta Rd, Camperdown
Sun 3rd Apr, 9am-3pm
Kegworth Autumn F.A.R.E.
The Kegworth Public School Autumn F.A.R.E has raised over $209,000 for the school since its inception five years ago. Staying true to its promising acronym (Food, Art, Rides and Entertainment), the activities on offer this year are perfect for the little ones! The rides and petting zoo are sure fire winners. The massive Dad’s BBQ will keep you well nourished, and the secondhand book and toy sales will be there for your perusal. With raffles, homemade crafts, bake sales and so much more, this is a perfect day out for the whole family, and for a wonderful cause! Armbands for unlimited rides are $25 each, save when you buy more.
Where: Kegworth Public School, 60 Tebbutt St, Leichhardt
Mon 4th – Sat 9th April
Marrickville Council Seniors Festival
Marrickville Council is pulling out all the stops to celebrate NSW Seniors Festival this year, arranging a range of activities for everyone to get involved. The Young At Heart Film Festival will be held at Marrickville’s Town Hall meeting room from 2pm each day, screening short films with seniors in leading roles followed by feature documentaries. Tuesday 5th will bring the annual free lunch and concert will be held at the Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL from 10:30am-2pm. Always a crowd favourite, this event is open only to Marrickville local government residents. Bookings are essential, so call 9335 2143 to secure your place!
Visit the Marrickville Council website for a full list of activities and venue information.
Tues 5th April, 10am-11:30am
Glebe Foreshore Parklands Walking Tour
A gentle walking tour through the picturesque Glebe Foreshore Parklands guided by ecologists and parklands staff will take you through Federal park, Bicentennial Park and Blackwattle Park Bay, finishing up at Bellview House. The walk is a Seniors Festival event but open to people of all ages. The route is flat and suitable for those with mobility aids, and the parklands are easily accessible by public transport. Meet the tour staff near the wetlands at Chatman Rd in Annandale to begin the walk.
Call 9265 9385 for more information.
Where: Federal Park, Annandale
Mon 11th Apr to Fri 22nd Apr
Council’s Bayside Kids School Holiday Program
City of Canada Bay is once again running their popular school holiday program jam-packed with activities for kids aged four to 12. Bayside Kids will be offering everything from soccer, netball, kids Zumba and yoga to basketball and gymnastics at Five Dock Leisure Centre. Camp days will also be held at the leisure centre and ripe with similar activities as well as movies, games, arts, crafts and so much more! Bookings are essential. Camp days range from $40-$60 while clinics are $35 per child. To book or find more information, visit the Five Dock Leisure Centre website or call 9744 2622.
Where: Five Dock Leisure Centre, Queens Rd, Five Dock.
