Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Event Guide

Friday 8 July

Friday SUN.sets

Every Friday Evening From 6pm

Knock off drinks, lakeside dinner, good friends, and LIVE MUSIC.

Wake House Australia

The Festival Hub

Friday, 6pm to 9pm

Festival Hub, located on our picturesque Pioneer River will feature live entertainment and family fun for all ages on select dates during the July school holidays. With live musicians, roving street performers, food options and a licenced bar – take a seat, relax, and enjoy the festival atmosphere. This is a free ticketed event for all ages.

Bluewater Quay, Brisbane Street Mackay

Read the Room

Friday, 7.30pm

A quiz panel show where the audience answer curly questions live through their phones while guest contestants try to work out which way the room will swing. It’s fun, cheeky, clever and hilarious. From ‘would you rather’, moral dilemmas, comparing the audience to national averages… it could get messy, but we promise it will be hilarious! Each night has a new panel of contestants, so come and support your favourite team and see if they can Read the Room!

$35 admission

Lush Room, Ambassador Hotel

Saturday 9 July

The Platypus Paddle 2022

Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10

Mackay's annual two-day SUP/OCEAN SKI/OUTRIGGER competitive races including the technical surf battle, flat-water sprints, free community clinic, short (5km) and Long (10km) courses. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.

Mackay Surf Life Saving Club

PDRC Champs 2022 and Rotary Feature

Saturday, 12:00pm to 9:00pm

Palmyra Drag Racing club are proud to be bringing ROTARY POWER to Mackay again in 2022 along with a full field of our 2022 Championship brackets! PRO ROTARY - With some big HP engines in small light weight cars these guys now how to put on a show! STREET ROTARY - Street registered Rotary powered machines, some hitting the 1/4 mile for the first time! Spectators: $20 at the gate, cash or card. Gates open at 8:00am, racing from 12:00pm until approx 8:00pm.

Palmyra Drag Racing Club Inc

Bluewater Fling 2022

Saturday, 1:30pm to 5:00pm

Gather your clan and celebrate Scottish culture at the Bluewater Fling in Mackay Saturday 9th of July! See bagpipes, drums, scottish rock, celtic folk, heilan dancing and much mair.

Jings, crivens, help ma boab!! You won't want to miss this FREE, fun day out for all ages!

Bluewater Quay

Sunset Launch Party

Saturday, 5:00pm

BE Social and Rhythm & The Reef are teaming up for a big one at The Ambassador Hotel! Join two of Mackay's favourite events as they celebrate the return of Festivals throughout Australia! Sunset Launch Party featuring Yolanda Be Cool with Support From Benny Frank (RCK), AVNU (TSV), Clovr, Cherry, Pacey, Shieldsy (TSV), Caleb Pace.

The Ambassador Hotel

1950-60s Las Vegas Casino Ball

Saturday, 6:30pm to late

Pioneer Valley Classic Car Club Presents 1950-60's Las Vegas Charity Ball. Proceeds to Dragons Abreast Mackay. Tickets $60pp, bevy on arrival, canape's throughout the night. $5000 of casino chips, silent Auction and live music with The Two Maoris. Dress code strictly 1950-60’s formal.

Souths Leagues Club Mackay

Sunday 10 July

Bullet Bikes Superstore presents Motorcycle Beach Races

Sunday, 9:30am

It's On Again! Who will be King of the Beach? Join the Motorcycle Beach Races for a fun family community event held in the Mackay region for over 90 years. Methanol fuelled action under tropical skies. Gates open for competitors at 6am with racing starting from 10am. Mini Eat Street, Jumping Castles, Trade Displays and more. Tickets online now. Check out www.motorcyclebeachraces.com.au for more information

Grasstree Beach

Sunday Live Music – The Feels

Sunday, 2:00pm to 5:00pm

Music every Sunday from 2pm - 5pm. Head down to the Seabreeze Hotel this Sunday for some fresh tunes, delicious food, and ice-cold brews.

Seabreeze Hotel

Passport To Airlie Mackay 2022 – Round 1

Sunday, 2:00pm to 5:00pm

Passport to Airlie is one of the most exciting moments around Airlie Beach Festival of Music, giving the audience not only a taste of the music we all love and know but displaying the talents of some incredible up-and-coming Australian artists. Mackay will have three heats and a final before deciding which artist will be announced as the winner. All regional winners will be awarded with accommodation and VIP tickets to the festival in November.

Harrup Park

Monday 11 July

‘Dinosaurs Ruled’ self-guided quiz

Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm during school holidays

Calling all dinosaur lovers! Have you ever wondered about the type of plants dinosaurs ate? Grab a ‘Dinosaurs Ruled’ quiz sheet from Botanic Gardens Visitor Information (Administration) and find out as you venture along the Coal Garden pathways, exploring dinosaur footprints, petrified wood and plants like those from ancient times.

Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Tibbles Hunt in the Tropical Shade Garden

Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm during school holidays

Pick up your activity sheet and wander the pathways to find Tibbles and decode the latest message he has for you!

Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Bocce in the Gardens

Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm

Did you know we have a sand bocce court in the Malta Garden? Bring your own set and play or hire a set of bocce balls from Botanic Gardens Visitor Information for just $5 a set. Hire is available weekdays 9am to 4pm or play at your leisure with your own set at any time.

Malta Garden’s Bocce Court

Wednesday 13 July

Mackay Farmers’ Market

Every Wednesday, 6:30am to 10:30am

The market is a showcase of our region’s amazing produce direct from the farmer.

Bluewater Quay

Thursday 14 July

DBCT Kids’ Theatre Season 2022 presents Alphabet of Awesome Science

Thursday, 1:00pm and 6:00pm

Debuting to rave reviews as part of the 2019 Adelaide Fringe, The Alphabet of Awesome Science uses BIG words to inspire BIG science – with a performance that’s equal parts explosive, messy, spectacular, hilarious, fascinating and gross. Professor Lexi Con has curated a collection of her absolutely favourite words – one for every letter of the alphabet. Each word provides Professor Noel Edge with an inspirational jumping off point for 26 quirky, (sometimes ‘explody’!) scientific demonstrations.

MECC

Artist's Talk: In Conversation with Shelley Engwirda

Thursday, 6:00pm

Join Mackay artist Shelley Engwirda as she talks about her exhibition We Rise on show in the Foyer Gallery at Artspace Mackay. Inspired by her experience as a new grandmother, Engwirda explores the way female artists have been regarded historically. For this exhibition she examines the success and failures of the women’s movement through her multidisciplinary practice. The artist’s large scale patchwork quilts alongside glass work respond to what she considers major moments in the women’s movement from the 1970s to present.

Foyer Gallery, Artspace Mackay

Luke Kidgell

Thursday, 6:45pm and 9:00pm

Australia's most loved comedian* Luke Kidgell, is back on tour with his brand-new show 'Cheers to that!' (*not a fact, just a personal opinion of Luke's). After a big year in 2021 dodging lockdowns and attending almost every pub in the country, Luke has some tales to tell.

Mackay Northern Beaches Bowls Club

The Vicar of Dibley 2

Thursday, 7:30pm to 10:00pm

The sequel to Kucom Theatre's highly successful 2018 season, "The Vicar of Dibley 2" will feature the wedding of Alice and Hugo, Geraldine’s romance with David Horton's younger brother, and the Dibley Nativity play. "The Vicar of Dibley 2" is a Mackay Festival Fringe event, opening Thursday, July 14 and running until Saturday, July 23.

Kucom Theatre

Wonder Rooms

Thursday, July 7, to Sunday, July 10

Thursday, July 14, to Sunday, July 17

Thursday, July 21, to Sunday, July 24

Shipping containers converted into vibrant selfie museums, Wonder Rooms will awe visitors with their creative and unique backdrops. Get your camera ready for a day of exploration, with the Wonder Rooms set up across the region, from the Bluewater Quay to Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, Melba House to Sarina Field of Dreams and Slade Point’s Ram Chandra Park – all with different themes! Travel the region, take a selfie and tag @mackay_festivals

5 locations to explore

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