Ballet, ice skating and a chance to enlighten your world in Bendigo

The Australian Ballet On Tour is in Bendigo this weekend. Bendigo audiences will be transported to a realm of romance, wonder and storybook-charm with Act III of The Sleeping Beauty. This iconic ballet, set to Tchaikovsky's celebrated score, will feature alongside one of George Balanchine's most joyous pieces Allegro Brillante and the Act II pas de deux from choreographer Anne Woolliams' Swan Lake. When: Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 from 7.30pm. Where: Ulumbarra Theatre

The popular Electric Wonderland returns to Bendigo's Rosalind Park for the 2024 winter school holidays. An enchanting sound and light show, Electric Wonderland delivers interactive exhibits, immersive light installations and magical projections using the latest in audio visual technology. This year, the activation celebrates the Lunar Year of the Dragon, gastronomy, interactive pathways, laser lights, thousands and thousands of fairy lights, and includes a 40m replica of the Sacred Heart Cathedral. When: 6pm to 9pm Sunday to Thursday and 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, from June 28 to July 14. Where: Rosalind Park. Cost, Sunday to Thursday: Adults $20, three to 16 years $11, Family (2 adults, 2 children) $50. Friday and Saturday: Adults $22, three to 16 years $13, Family (2 adults, 2 children) $60. CHildren under two free. Visit electricwonderland.com.au to book. Booking fees apply.

Stars on Ice is bringing a pop up ice skating rink to Hargreaves Mall this winter. We have ice skates of all sizes and push-along penguins for kids, so shimmy into some skates and glide across the ice. Sessions run from 10am to 9pm for 45 minutes. When: June 28 to July 14 Where: Hargreaves Mall. Cost: Adults (16+) $24, child/concession (6 to 15 years) $19, toddler (2 to 5 years) $15, Family (2 adults/2 children or 1 adult/3 children): $68, Groups of 10: $18 per person, Penguin pal hire: $10 available on the day. Booking fees apply.

A giant chess board will be set up in Hargreaves Mall this weekend to entice more people to take part in the ancient game. Beyond its reputation as a game of kings and queens, chess offers a myriad of benefits from intellectual stimulation and strategic thinking to meeting like-minded people. Whether played for pleasure, competition, or self-improvement, chess can offer a wealth of benefits that endure long after the final checkmate. Chessboards will also be set up to social games. In a joint initiative by the Bendigo Chess Club and Chess on the Hill, locals will have the opportunity to try their hand, and challenge their intellect. When: From 10.30am to 2.30pm on Saturday, July 6. Where: At the Williamson Street end of the Hargreaves Mall.

Discovery Science and Technology Centre is hosting an illuminating exploration of light their winter school holidays' science show. Prepare to be dazzled as we delve into the colourful story of light, and all its incredible uses in our everyday lives. Don't miss this captivating blend of education and entertainment that's perfect for curious minds of all ages. There are more than 100 hands-on exhibits to explore and the vertical slide will be running four times a day for thrill seekers. Electrifying experiments and new planetarium shows also running. When: Saturday, June 28 to Sunday, July 14 10am to 4pm. Where: Discovery Science & Technology Centre. Cost: Varying prices, visit ecom.roller.app/discovery/tickets/en/home

Enlighten is an immersive light experience that transforms the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion's Peace Park into a unique lightscape. Light displays that shimmer on the Great Stupa, spectacular light sculptures throughout the garden, roaming performers and delicious food. On Saturday, July 6, Enlighten celebrates His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday. When: Saturday, July 6. Where: The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion25 Sandhurst Town Road, Myers Flat. Cost: $18 for adults (16+), $8 for child (3 to 16), $45 for family (2 adults, 2 children), children under 3 free. Book via stupa.org.au/enlighten

For one exclusive weekend each year, a select few winemakers from across the Bendigo region invite you behind the scenes, beyond their cellar doors, into their barrel halls. These boutique, highly guarded treasures are accessible only during Barrel Tasting Weekend, offering an intimate experience guided by the winemakers themselves. Meet the artisans behind the wine, savour vintages directly from the barrel, and immerse yourself in the romance of winemaking. When: Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7. Where: Various locations across Bendigo. Cost: $12 per session. Booking fees apply. For tickets visit events.humanitix.com/2024-barrel-tasting-weekend.

Experience the magic of Christmas this winter with Balgownie Estate Bendigo's Christmas in July dining experience. Available every Sunday in July for both lunch and dinner, this festive celebration brings the warmth and flavours of the holiday season to the cooler months. The specially curated menu features traditional favourites such as delectable Ham Hock and Pork Terrine, flavoursome Rolled Turkey Breast, and a classic Plum Pudding, served with both vanilla bean ice cream and custard. When: Sunday, July 7. Where: Balgownie Estate Bendigo, 46 Hermitage Road, Maiden Gully

Art exhibitions

First Nations art gallery Djaa Djuwima's latest exhibition Young Mob Excelling tells the stories of young First Nations people who are making their mark across a range of activities. Free entry. When: 9am to 5pm, May 10 to August 30. Where: Djaa Djuwima, located at the Bendigo Visitor Centre, 51-67 Pall Mall.

I wanna be your anti-mirror, curated by influential Aotearoa / New Zealand-born artist Alicia Frankovich is an exhibition which introduces seven early career artists whose experimental, materially complex artworks reveal new languages, sensations and attitudes. These artists resist dominant representational forms. Their embodied gestures in sculpture, moving image and sound are urgent propositions for living differently in the world. Free entry. When: May 23 to August 18. Where: La Trobe Art Institute, 121 View Street, Bendigo.

Faces of Peace showcases the stories of 30 local peacekeepers from regional Australia that have dedicated their lives to promoting peace in vastly different parts of the world. Each of their stories provides a unique window into what it means to be a peacekeeper. This exhibition will make you rethink what a veteran looks like. It will help you discover what a peacekeeper does. It will show you the many different faces of peace. When: April 6 to November 24. Where: Bendigo Military Museum, 37-29 Pall Mall, Bendigo

Weaving Threads is deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of my ancestral heritage, weaving together the threads of tradition with the vibrant hues of contemporary expression. In Trina Dalton's latest work, she embarks on a deeply personal journey of healing and cultural exploration, merging the ancient art of clay pottery with the timeless craft of fibre weaving as a vehicle to create a narrative that spans generations. When: Weekdays until August 5. Where: The Capital Theatre, 50 View Street

It started out as a safe space for female comedians and has produced sold out nights and new legends. Women of Wit will this tour feature feature Prue Blake (RAW Comedy winner 2021), Pa Fawce (Class Clowns winner 2019), Alex Ward (Have You Been Paying Aenon!), He Huang (Melbourne Internaonal Comedy Fesval Gala), and Bess Paerson (RAW Comedy Heat winner Bendigo). What Women of Wit 2024 - Bendigo. Where: Engine Room Theatre, 58 View St, Bendigo. When: Friday July 5, 8pm (Doors open at 7:30pm). Cost: $30 adult, $27 concession (boxoffice.gotix.com.au)

Chocolate Starfish marks 30 years with a spectacular Australian tour that celebrates the best of everything - the albums, the songs, and the exhilarating shows for which the band is widely renowned. Featuring the hits of their self-titled debut album and selections from their brilliant Classic Album Series; Bat Out of Hell, INXS Kick, Adam Thompson's Bohemian Rhapsody Concert, this celebration promises - and delivers - everything and more. Where: Ulumbarra Theatre. When: Saturday, July 27, 7.30pm. Cost: A Reserve $95, B Reserve $84.70 (boxoffice.gotix.com.au)

The Moonlight Market is coming back to town, but first, just for a pop-up. Returning to Hargreaves Mall on July 15, the market guarantees live music, specialty food trucks, street performers and works from creative individuals across the region, plus more. The market's ongoing season will then start in October, 2023 at Dai Gum San, Park Road. Where: Hargreaves Mall, Bendigo. When: July 20, 3pm to 8pm.

The Bendigo Showgrounds Market is held nearly every Sunday and is one of the biggest weekly markets in country Victoria. This family-friend market will include a huge range of new and used goods, food, coffee and fresh produce. For further information, phone 5444 4646 or email market@bendigoshowgrounds.com.au Where: Bendigo Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Holmes Road, Bendigo. When: Every Sunday, 8.30am to 2pm.

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