Newsletter | #148 | What's On this Week

Welcome to this week's Melbourne events, exhibitions, sports and community guide for Tuesday November 3 to Monday November 9, 2009.

This week.. the race that stops the nation makes its always welcome return, kicking off a fine run of events with the Whittlesea Show offering a weekend of fun as it celebrates a whopping 150 years, the Djerriwarrh Festival in Melton with parades, markets and a lifestyle expo, and coming in by a nose there's also the Melbourne Medieval Fayre and Tourney in Berwick with bearded chaps bearing swords, otherwise known as historical re-enactments.

Cinephiles in need of a fix this week needn't look far what with the Croatian Film Festival and the Arab Film Festival held simultaneously at ACMI Cinemas, while floral enthusiasts and fans of all things zen might want to check out the Buddhist Spring Festival where you'll literally find their stunning gardens where you can stop and smell 2300 rose bushes.

I'd join you for that one, but I have a blocked nose from the cold I can't shake. Not that you want to hear about that. My doctor wasn't interested either, and nor were the other nine doctors I phoned on Monday, who I suspect were all inundated by a sudden demand for medical certificates. Yup... my nose may be blocked, but it certainly smells like Cup Day!

With just a taste further down, check here to view more of the following..

Special Reminder

VicRoads New Driving Laws - Monday November 9th
VicRoads is introducing new driving rules and changes to Victoria's road safety laws. With changes affecting Mobile Phone use, Child Restraints, Overtaking and other relevant laws, every driver needs to be aware of these changes.
VicRoads New Driving Laws - Monday November 9th

Major Events Guide

The Whittlesea Show, celebrating its 150th Anniversary, showcases the event's long history with special attractions that include horse drawn vehicles and workshops with a touch of yester year to them. Regular favourites also include roving entertainers, rides, animals and special guests.

The Djerriwarrh Festival, Melton Township's biggest community festival, offers a weekend of fun for the whole family with a carnival atmosphere. With events held across the Shire, attractions include a Grand Street Parade, live entertainment, market stalls, and even a lifestyle expo.

A Family Festival will be held in Templestowe at Finns Reserve where people of all ages can enjoy entertainment that includes classic sports car displays, craft activities, food stalls, children's rides and an animal farm. Presented by the Rotary Club of Templestowe, entry is by gold coin donation.

The Spring Festival, presented by the Austrian Club Melbourne in Heidelberg West, is a day of fun for the whole family with traditional slap dancing, food, music and market stalls. The festival features great fun for kids also with a Jumping Castle, circus performances and more.

The Maroondah Festival, held at Croydon's Town Park, brings local community groups together to present hold a festive day with musical performances, food stalls and more. One of Melbourne's biggest community events, the festival includes the Kids Kingdom area and several themed expos.

The Marysville Marathon Festival is an event aimed at attracting supporters and tourists, while renewing community spirit. With several marathon walks and runs to enter, ranging from 42km to 3 km, the day includes bands, market stalls, participant showbags and entertainment for all.

The Melbourne Medieval Fayre and Tourney, held at Berwick's Old Cheese Factory, brings history to life with the clash of swords, the spatter of musket fire and the boom of cannons! The event excitingly recaptures past periods of world history with a great range of food, music and more.

The Buddhist Spring Festival, held at the beautiful Tibetan Buddhist Society's centre in Yuroke, celebrates their faith with a blessing ceremony and free tours of the centre's stunning gardens. The weekend also includes market stalls of Tibetan handicrafts, a photo exhibition and more.

The Bright Spring Festival showcases the vibrant sights and attractions found during Spring in Bright (as you may have guessed) with a series of events that include theatre, special dinners, film screenings and more. Highlights include the Halloween Fireworks Spectacular and Concert.

The High Country Festival, held at various venues in Mansfield, has a program that celebrates innovative ideas and cultural activities with a diverse variety of events that include art exhibitions, unique and quirky community events, horse shows and a concert performed by local schools.

Film Festivals

The Arab Film Festival, held at ACMI Cinemas, is a travelling showcase of audience favourites from the annual festival held in Parramatta. With films that are entertaining, exciting and moving, the festival shows the beauty, diversity and complexity of the Arab world through film.

The Croatian Film Festival, making its debut at Federation Square's ACMI Cinemas, features a program of thirteen of the country's finest films with features, documentaries and animations, highlighting the resurgent, flourishing Croatian film industry since 2000's War of Independence.

Upcoming Events

NEW LIVE CALENDAR
To find out about future events in Melbourne, have a look at our new calendar, with details about many more events that lie ahead so you can jot them down on the to-do list , including Exhibitions, Live Gigs, Theatre, Markets, Expos and more..
View Future Events on any day of the week

Exhibitions - Art | Festival | Show

Behind the Seams, held at the Swinburne University of TAFE in Prahran, is a special exhibition of work by graduates of the university's Diploma of Costume course, showcasing skills that include pattern drafting, draping, art finishing, millinery, make-up, wig making and much more.

Super Human: Revolution of the Species is an exhibition of collaborations between artists and scientists, investigating what it means to be human both now and in the future. Held at the RMIT Gallery on Swanston Street, the exhibition exposes our aspirations and fears about our bodies.

140 Hours of Fame, presented by New York's Galerie St. George, features 'Way of the Golden Horse' (pictured) by local painter, Sue Stergo, one of only a few Australian artists accepted for what is the world's first Twitter Art Auction, held to introduce emerging artists to a global marketplace.

Nightmare on Swan Street is the first exhibition of Melbourne's newest Gallery, The Owl and the Pussycat in Richmond. The exhibition of haunting works by Nicholas Ives evoke a strange sense of missing persons with his portraits seeming more like shadows caught between worlds.

Art Break, presented by Joint Councils Access for All Abilities, is an exhibition featuring self-portraits, installation, paintings, prints and painted silk. Held at Gasworks Arts Park, the exhibition is a showcase of visual art created during JCAAA's Holiday Arts for Adults program.

China Daily, held at fortyfivedownstairs in Flinders lane, features artwork by Deng Ying, Cui Qiang and Chen Yu that offers a mixed view of China with work by Deng and Cui celebrating the country's everyday life, while Chen's artwork presents a very jaded view of China's incessant queues.

The Berwick Artists Society, a collective of professional artists, emerging artists and hobby artists, will be holding their Spring Art Exhibition at Narre Warren Library. One of two yearly exhibitions they hold, the show includes work in various mediums and with a variety of subject matter.

The Satirist & the Social Realist, held at Melbourne's Adam Galleries, is an exhibition of works by Noel Counihan and Eric Thake. Featuring prints of street scenes and social demonstrations, social commentary and portraits, the exhibition includes a selection of Australian Protest Posters.

Chelle Macnaughtan will be showing works at Red Gallery in Fitzroy North, with an of exhibition aluminium constructs, etchings and more. The recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, her work draws influences from her combined studies in music, interior design and architecture.

HotHouse, showing at Australian Galleries in Collingwood, is an exhibition of large contemporary oil paintings by Christine Johnson. Featuring imagery of flowers seen in close-up, her work is an explosion of beauty with the luminous paintings created in a unique style derived from classical oil painting.

The Arts with Flair Exhibition, held at the galleries of Mont De Lancey in Wandin North, is a collection of works by gifted artists from the Yarra Valley surrounds. Presented by the Two09 Group, the exhibition features diverse subjects from the abstract to the realistic and other styles.

Hook, Line and Sinker, an exhibition by Mona Ryder at Fitzroy's Alcaston Gallery, explores the social, cultural and religious influences that shape psyche and memory. Using unexpected objects such as crutches to form a crucifix, her work examines a diverse range of social and cultural issues.

Kathy Temin, a highly acclaimed Melbourne-based artist, is being exhibited at Heide Museum of Modern Art in Bulleen. Reflecting her personal history and Jewish heritage, her work uses unconventional materials that playfully capture the trash and treasure aesthetics of global pop culture.

The House of Hallmarcos, held at Melbourne's Until Never, celebrates thirty years of practice by bespoke jeweller, Marcos Davidson. Featuring three major bodies of his work, Sonic Selectors, Head Takers and Lapidem, the exhibition includes an installation of paintings exploring his family tree.

Monster Zoo, an exhibition by jeweller Justine Austen, will be held at Pieces of Eight in North Fitzroy. Consisting of strange and curious creatures, her menagerie is meticulously handcrafted from sterling silver and a diverse range of materials including gemstones, bone and coral.

Anatomy to Robots, showing at Southbank's Queensbridge Square, is a remarkable exhibition that brings the designs of Leonardo da Vinci to life. One of the world's greatest and inventive minds, the exhibition shows his passion for nature, science and art with life size recreations of his works.

Strike a Pose with Lee Lin Chin is a photographic exhibition held at the Victorian Archives Centre in North Melbourne. Showcasing the Australian fashion scene of the 1960's and 70's, the show co-curated by Lee Lin Chin, host of Fashionista, explores the influences that shaped Australian fashion.

Open Days, Expos & Launches

The Melbourne Bead Expo, held at the Camberwell Centre, features exhibitors from across Australia selling beads, gems, findings, tools and more. With workshops held for beginners and advanced beaders, the expo includes exhibits of fine wearable art and beadwork with many pieces for sale.

The Eltham & District Woodworkers will be holding their annual Woodwork Exhibition at the Eltham Community Centre, showcasing the work of members with extensive displays and many items for sale. The exhibition includes free hands-on workshops for kids across the weekend.

The Castlemaine & District Festival of Gardens will hold a special open garden series during the Melbourne Cup long weekend, with eight established and diverse gardens open to the public offering a taste of the ten-day festival held next year with local gardens renowned for their roses and irises.

Performances & Theatre

Edges, performed at South Yarra's Cromwell Road Theatre by Why Not? Production Company, brings the new musical that captured the heart of America to Australia for the first time. With humour and drama, the show is a musical journey of stories that capture life's highs and lows.

Spring Awakening, adapted from Franz Wedekind's tragic German play, focuses on eight adolescents and the adults in their lives. As controversial today as it was in 1891, the play deals with themes like physical abuse, sexual awareness and suicide. It's held at Eltham College Performance Centre.

South Pacific, presented by Nova Music Theatre at Nunawading's Whitehorse Centre, is the classic musical by Rogers and Hammerstein. One of the greatest musicals of all time, the show weaves the drama of James A. Michener's novel with tunes that have become worldwide standards.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas, performed at Elwood's Phoenix Theatre, is an adaptation of the classic 1954 film. Presented by MLOC, the performance features seven additional songs that were omitted from the film about four entertainers who revive an inn that's left without snow.

RENT The Musical, presented by Fab Nobs Theatre in Bayswater, brings to the stage the hit rock musical that tells the story of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City.

A Dinner to Die For, held at the Retreat Hotel in Abbotsford, is a wickedly funny Murder Mystery Dinner set in 1928 as Lord Quinten Daventry hosts his party bash. Dinner guests are allocated a role and encouraged to indulge their inner artiste by dressing and behaving in character.

The Dame on the Ten Dollar Note, performed by Beverley Dunn, celebrates the author, journalist, poet and activist Dame Mary Gilmore. Held at Melbourne Theatre Company's Lawler Studio in Southbank, the performance draws from Mary Gilmore's own writing from poetry, diaries and more.

Lost in Yonkers, Neil Simon's popular coming of age tale, will be performed by Epping's Chester Street Theatre. Part of Simon's trilogy which includes Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues, the inspiring play focuses on two brothers left in the care of their Grandma in Yonkers, New York in 1942.

Saturday Afternoon Soap Opera, presented by SNAFU Theatre, is a serialized performance with an ongoing plot developing each week. Held at Mirrors Lounge Bar in Fitzroy, audiences are invited to experience the comic dizzying highs and despicable lows of Soap Opera like never before.

Picasso at The Lapin Agile, the absurd comedy penned by Steve Martin, examines science, art and many other fine points of life when Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein meet in a small bar in France well before they become household names. Shows are held at Chapel Off Chapel in Prahran.

When the Rain Stops Falling, performed by Melbourne Theatre Company at their Southbank theatre, is Andrew Bovell's award-winning play about the relationship between a father and son, and how a rain of fish from the sky could signal the end of a rift that began eighty years earlier.

Classical, Choral & Recitals

The Camberwell Chorale together with the Camerata Orchestra will present a twilight performance of Handel's Messiah. Established in 1944 and formed by local people, the community choir will perform along with Sun Aria finalist Lauren Oldham at Williamstown Town Hall.

Music for Meditation, held Federation Square's BMW Edge Theatre, is a biannual evening meditation concert of music designed to promote relaxation, rejuvenation and inspiration. Exploring the health benefits of sound, the concert features a performance by master percussionist, David Jones.

Entertainment & Nightlife

Live Concerts & Gigs

Breaking Orbit, formerly known as 'Nucleus', will be performing their first show under their brand-spanking new moniker at The Toff in Town on Swanston Street. Helping them begin the new leg of their musical journey, they'll be supported by special guests, The Violet Flames.

Jeudi Jazzy, held at the cellar of Alliance Fran�aise in St Kilda, is a live performance by the New Impromptu Quartet. Featuring Alexander Nettelbeck, Khari Cabral Simmons and Ben Kosi Karsay, the band performs Jazz, Latin and Soul standards alongside their own original compositions.

Twilight at the Terrace, held at the Royal Botanic Garden's Terrace tearoom, showcases the best performers from a wide range of genres. With exquisite views and food, they'll be presenting a performance of unique hypnotic rhythms by Invention in Time, a marimba and vibraphone duo.

The Koorie Heritage Trust Fundraising Gala, held at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre, brings together a broad range of talent to raise funds to support Koorie Youth projects. With song, dance, magic and comedy, the gala features a line-up of performers from many backgrounds.

Burlesque & Cabaret

Friday Night Burlesque, held at Fitzroy's Burlesque Bar, is a scintillating night of live performance, capturing the long and varied history of Burlesque entertainment in all its cheeky, saucy glory featuring established acts as well as some of the hottest up and coming performers in the Burlesque scene.

Comedy & Spoken Word

Four Minute Warning, held each month at the Butterfly Club in South Melbourne, relives the glory days of radio comedy with the dark twist of each live performance set in an alternate history of 1966 in the wake of Germany making a nuclear strike against Britain eighteen years earlier.

Willow Tales, held at Northcote's Willow Bar, offers a night of pure storytelling with performers taking to the stage to share stories, tales and fables from some of Melbourne's top comedians, writers and yarn spinners with performances that offer far more than the usual stand-up shtick.

Comedy Thursdays, held at Dogs Bar in St Kilda, is a night of stand-up comedy held each week with special guest appearances this week featuring Simon Palomares, one of the most influential comics and creator of Wogs Out of Work, appearing with fellow Spaniard John Burgos.

Theatresports, Melbourne's longest running improvisation comedy show, returns with performances held at St Kilda's Theatre Works. Featuring a cast of mighty thespians, teams go head to head in ever-increasing degrees of improvised difficulty, bringing new feats of wit to the stage each week.

Melbourne For Kids

Karaoke 4 Kids, held at the Awesome Fun Indoor Playground in Kilsyth South, is an interactive karaoke show designed just for kids. With full cafe service the family can have dinner and an evening of fun with kids able to sing everything from Nursery Rhymes to Top 40 Hits.

Baloomba-wop, held at the Jika Jika Community Hall in Northcote, is a musical adventure for kids. Performed by Donna and the Aspinauts, the show is an interactive, off the wall, musical adventure for kids and kids at heart, appealing to fans of Dr Seuss, Lewis Carroll and Roald Dahl.

Santa's Grand Arrival celebrates the first day of the City of Melbourne's Christmas program with old Saint Nick arriving in Bourke Street Mall where he'll be greeted by hosts Georgie Parker and Jay Laga'aia along with Bob the Builder, Fifi and the Flowertots, Dora the Explorer and other special guests.

Mia Mia Aboriginal Art Gallery, located in Templestowe, offer a free afternoon of entertainment when you can hear musician Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie play the didgeridoo and tell dreamtime stories and also watch Mia Mia founder Colin McKinnon showcase the art of boomerang throwing.

Circus Shows

Circus Sunrise, an action-packed show for all the family, will be appearing in Cambellfield, with performances held at Pipeworks Markets. A true family circus with lineage going back to 1648, the performances od Circus Sunrise feature juggling, acrobatics and whip-cracking excitement!

Stardust Circus, Australia's largest circus with animals, will be performing at Deer Park's Brimbank Shopping Centre. The performance features African lions, monkeys, Liberty horses and trick ponies, acrobats, Aerialists, the sensational flying trapeze, clowns and more for the whole family.

Silvers Grand Magic Circus will be holding performances in Bayswater North. Established in 1976, Silvers Grand Magic Circus offers a great show for the whole family, with everything from jugglers and clowns to acrobats, international performers and more.

Puzzles & Competitions

Spot The Difference

There are 5 Differences between these two pictures of Melbourne's Federation Bells, found at Birrarung Marr... See if you can spot them! Sign up for answers revealed in Next Week's Newsletter

More on Federation Bells | Learn More about Melbourne!

Competitions & Special Offers

Always on Sale offers leading brand products to customers. You are assured that you have selected a product from our range of reputable brands with great savings. You will receive exactly what you ordered in a secure environment, conveniently delivered to your door.

Community

African Drumming Classes - Ray Pereira, one of Australia's best performers and teachers in African Drumming, offers classes that teach great hand technique and how to hear and play inspiring West African rhythms on a variety of drums and instruments that include djembe, bells and shakers.

Speakers Forum | Soapbox Oratory - Soapbox orators (that means you if you've something to say) can take turns speaking on various topics and viewpoints on the State Library Lawns. Questions, comments, heckling and interjections are welcome from all, simply turn up to participate or listen.

You Can Help

There are many social causes that are relevant to people from all walks of life, many of which rely on public support to better the community or assist those who are less fortunate or to benefit others. This week we ask you to consider the following..

Movember returns for another year to bring back the soup-strainer and raise money for men's health partners, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and beyondblue. By simply growing a moustache in November and finding sponsors, Gala Parties are held at month's end to thank all involved.
Learn More About Movember Today!

Markets, Fetes and Fairs

The Mini Christmas Fair Exhibition, presented by the Handweavers & Spinners Guild of Victoria at their guild rooms in Carlton North, offers many great gift ideas in one location. The exhibition features a wide range of items including Christmas ornaments, cards, stockings and toys.

The Aireys Fair offers a huge day of family fun with over 50 market stalls, children's rides, a jumping castle, and gourmet food and drinks with wine and beer tents. Held at Aireys Inlet Community Hall, entertainment includes live music, a dog show, a parade and poo-lotto - yup, poo-lotto!

The Artists' Camp Fair of Roberts McCubbin Primary School in Box Hill South is an art exhibition of work by local professional, amateur and emerging artists. With a wide range of styles and mediums, the arts fair features a silent auction, kids' entertainment, rides, raffles and more.

The Huntingtower School Fete, held in Mount Waverley, is a great day out for the family with rides for kids of all ages, a native animal farm and international food, homemade cakes and Devonshire Teas. With music by the school orchestra, the day includes a market and silent auction.

North Fitzroy Primary School will be holding their annual fete with plenty of fun for people of all ages with attractions including Pony Rides, face painting, ju7mping castles and a giant slide. There'll also be food stalls on the day along with wine and beer tents, Mini Golf and a White Elephant sale.

The Fine Spring Fair, held at Erasmus School of Primary Education in Hawthorn, is well know for its delicious organic vegetarian food, Indian fare, gourmet cakes and Devonshire tea. With market stalls of many kinds, it includes children's activities with live reptiles, a magic show, rides and more.

View MARKETS on any day of the week to make the most of the rare sunny days (it's a coin toss, isn't it!) and head to one of Melbourne's many excellent markets, fetes and fairs for a bargain!

A growing number of food, produce and even wine markets are always popping up around the suburbs. And don't forget garage sales!

Dining & Drink

The Homemade Wine & Beer Festival, held at Preston's City Hall, showcases the skills and customs of local amateur wine and beer brewers. The multicultural event gives wine and beer makers the chance to share the fruits of their labours with other enthusiasts and also the community.

Top Wines Australia offer Award Winning wines at great prices with wines sourced from 4-5 star vineyards. With wines for sale at half the price of similarly rated wine you can even buy 6 wines get and get 6 FREE for Only $85 while also going into the draw to win a $3000 Wine Giveaway!

Special Dining Offers

Menulog Dining Specials - Save Money Today!

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Curry Leaf Cafe in Elwood offers authentic Tandoori Barbecue Platters with an exotic ambience and friendly attentive service.
SPECIAL DINING OFFER!!
Book Through Menulog and enjoy the Spring Finger Food Special with a tasty platter & a Glass of Wine for just $17!
Visit here for BOOKING DETAILS @ Menulog

Dining in Melbourne offers a splendid range of food styles to enjoy. Here are just a few classic food styles to choose from..

Modern Australian Cuisine

Chinese Restaurants

Italian Restaurants

Seafood Restaurants

French Restaurants

Dining Gift Vouchers

Menulog Gift Vouchers are the perfect way to treat someone special to a great dinner with vouchers available for a wide range of participating restaurants in Melbourne and across Australia. There's even the option to buy a voucher and let the lucky recipient decide which restaurant they'd like to dine at!
Learn More about Menulog Gift Vouchers

OnlyMelbourne Welcomes..

Each week we highlight some of the latest additions to OnlyMelbourne's ever growing guide to services, businesses and information sites for your community.

This week we suggest the following:

View More of the Latest Listings at OnlyMelbourne!

Advertising your Business or Event at OnlyMelbourne is not only easy, but best of all it's FREE!! - Get Listed.. - don't forget to tell your friends!

Sporting Events

The Trots with the Lot!

Melbourne Cup Carnival sees Flemington Racecourse come alive this week with the biggest race day in the world, the Melbourne Cup! Mind your fascinator on the way in, ladies!

Victoria's Spring Racing Carnival showcases 50 days of premier world-class thoroughbred racing with 85 race meetings across the Victoria, including 20 Country Cups at ve