Armidale Light Festival
What’s on inArmidale?

Armidale Events

Click to view the Spring 2024 events calendar! (PDF 3MB), or view the list below.

No matter what time of year you visit, chances are there will be an event or festival in or around Armidale.

Events not to be missed include the Autumn Festival, Big Chill Festival, The Bach Festival, The New England Garden Festival, Armidale International Film Festival and Guyra Lamb and Potato Festival. Other great annual events include New England Sings, The Armidale Cup, Guyra Trout Festival, Armidale Youth Orchestra Garden Party, Vintage Truck, Machinery and Heavy Horse Show and the NEGS Equestrian events. The calendar is full with premier sport events including the TAS Rugby Carnivals, Tour de Rocks and the 12hr Mountain Bike Enduro.

Have an event to add to the calendar?

Cary Bennett Trio @ Tatts

Tattersalls Hotel 174 Beardy Street Mall, ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

Come along for a wonderful Sunday afternoon of live music, good company at a great venue.

“Terror Nullius” Screening

The Armidale Playhouse 309 Beardy Street (cnr Ohio Street), ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

Terror Nullius (55 mins, 2018) is in conjunction with the exhibition, Not Just Australian showing at New England Regional Art Museum. Part political satire, eco-horror and road movie, Terror Nullius is a political revenge fable that offers an unwriting of Australian national mythologies. Binding together a documentary impulse with the bent plotlines of Australian film texts, Soda Jerk's revisionist history opens a willful narrative space where cinema fictions and historical facts permeate each other in new ways.

$5

Jazz, Blues & Alt. Grooves @ the Dog

Welder's Dog Bar cnr Marsh and Rusden Streets, ARMIDALE, NSW

Mannagum is a Bellingen-based vocal/piano duo with Rosie Stephen on vocals and Oscar Eager on piano. Together they present a fresh take on Brazilian and jazz standards, including a few new Aussie jazz songs and atmospheric folk music. The combination of Oscar's poignant keys and Rosie's bewitching vocals strikes a thoughtful balance between intensity and beauty. Music washes away the dust of everyday life - Art Blakey

Ballet Workshops Australia Concert

Multi Purpose Centre, Armidale Secondary College 182 Butler Street, ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

Ballet Workshops Australia and our cast of workshop students and guest dancers will be delighting audiences with a fun and varied selection of pieces! Everyone is welcome come and watch the lovely dancers of Armidale and surrounding towns! A terrific cultural opportunity to celebrate the talented dancers and support them doing what they love! Book a ticket today and come and join us! Armidale Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be attending and VIP guest Annette Brown, Sydney Eisteddfod Director will […]

$15 – $20

Wayne Donnelly Comedy Hypnosis Show

Australian Poetry Hall of Fame 144 Bradley Street, GUYRA, NSW, Australia

Watch out as you and your friends become the stars of the show when you volunteer to be hypnotised by Hypnotist - Wayne Donnelly. In this hilarious two-hour comedy hypnosis show the volunteers (not victims) display a range of feats, talents and surprises to make you laugh until your sides hurt. You might see people you know speak fluent Alien, sing like they are a rockstar, speak on their shoe phone or one of many other creative and side splitting […]

$30

Chilli Jam @ the Bowlo

Armidale City Bowling Club 92-96 Dumaresq Street, ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

Come along for a great night of good company and foot tapping music.

Historical Hunt @ Hillgrove

Hillgrove Museum Scouler Street, HILLGROVE, NSW, Australia

Prizes and free tea, coffee and juice. Lots of fun and educational for the whole family.

Lamb & Potato Bush Dance

Australian Poetry Hall of Fame 144 Bradley Street, GUYRA, NSW, Australia

End the Lamb & Potato with BANGON Bush Dance with the Big Hairy Bush Dance Band. We had such fun last time that we have invited them back for the Lamb and Potato Festival.....The Big Hairy Bush Dance Band gets everyone up and come with a caller to walk you through all the dances so you don't even need to know how to dance. There will be food and beverages available.

$15 – $45

Cary Bennett Trio @ the Alternate Root

This acclaimed trio features the musical artistry of James Brinkhoff on piano, Wendy Griffiths on double bass and Cary Bennett on vocals and drums, performing classic popular songs from the 1930s through to the 1970s, tunes made famous by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Bobby Darin, Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr and others. So come and join us for a great night of fabulous food, music and drinks. To book a table:

Karaoke @ the Bowlo

Armidale City Bowling Club 92-96 Dumaresq Street, ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

Come along for a great night of fun and music.

Hillgrove Family Picnic Day

Hillgrove Recreation Ground 265 Wood Street, HILLGROVE, NSW, Australia

Come alone and enjoy a day of country hospitality and fun. Bring a rug and a cool beverage. Food trucks, local musicians.

Armidale Race Day

Armidale Jockey Club Barney Street, ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

Racing returns to Armidale this Monday. Bring the family over before they go back to school and enjoy a fun day out at the races. Seven TAB races, full bar and catering with plenty of bookies and tote.

Jazz, Blues & Alt. Grooves @ the Dog

Welder's Dog Bar cnr Marsh and Rusden Streets, ARMIDALE, NSW

MC and the Squares (Australia Day) is a collective of musicians brought together to bring to life songs written and sung by Mark Cooper. Mark's songs offer a diverse musical experience from country to pop to other grooves with observations of post-adolescent life, love, mobile phones, summer holidays and living in a small town on a mountain. This version will feature Wendy Griffith on bass and Gary Daly on drums along with Mark on the guitar and harmonica. Music washes […]

Bundarra Show & Demolition Derby

Bundarra Showground cnr Oliver and Bombelli Streets, BUNDARRA, NSW, Australia

Fun for the whole family! Kids' activities, animal nursery, canteen, bar, live music, local product and crafts. Saturday Program - 8.00am Team penning; 8.30am Beef Cattle Judging; 9.00am Quick Shear; 10.00am Ute registration opens; 12.00pm Ute Show Judging; 12.00pm Demo Derby heats commence; 3.00pm Ute Show presentations; 4.00pm Barrel Race; 5.00pm Demolition Derby Last Man Standing - ride-on mower display race during intermission; 5.00pm Live Music starts; 6.00pm Demolition Derby - 6-Cylinder Derby; 7.00pm Demolition Derby - Bash 4 Cash. […]

Gold Coin

Historical Hunt @ Hillgrove

Hillgrove Museum Scouler Street, HILLGROVE, NSW, Australia

Prizes and free tea, coffee and juice. Lots of fun and educational for the whole family.

Jazz, Blues & Alt. Grooves @ the Dog

Welder's Dog Bar cnr Marsh and Rusden Streets, ARMIDALE, NSW

Katy Haselwood Quartet - Glen Innes chanteuse, Katy Haselwood, excites audiences wherever she goes. Katy is jointed by Steve Thorneycroft on guitar, James Haselwood on bass and Cary Bennett on drums for a night of jazz, R&B and pop standards with a kick. Katy and the band guarantee to put the right grooves on your face. Music washes away the dust of everyday life - Art Blakey

Opening Night @ NERAM

New England Regional Art Museum 106-114 Kentucky Street, ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

Celebrate the launch of NERAM's 2023 Exhibition Program and the museum's 40th Anniversary year with the opening of six new exhibitions: Wonders of HINTON; NERAM's Imaginarium; Coventry Noir; Illustrating Armidale; Picturing the New England, and Fifty/50.  

Hinton Speakeasy

New England Regional Art Museum 106-114 Kentucky Street, ARMIDALE, NSW, Australia

A night of art after dark to celebrate the launch of NERAM's 2023 program and the opening of Wonders of Hinton. Put on your best 1920s-inspired outfit and explore new exhibitiions, grab a cocktail at the pop-up bar and be delighted by the sultry cabaret show! It will be an evening to stimulate your senses. Ticket includes: drink on arrival; access to all NERAM exhibitions; nibbles provided by Six Counties Restaurant; cabaret performance directed by Melissa Killen; prize for best […]

$70 – $77

Mother of Ducks Lagoon Nature Reserve 50th Anniversary

Mother of Ducks Lagoon Lagoon Road, GUYRA, NSW, Australia

Mother of Ducks Lagoon Nature Reserve is turning 50 and to celebrate we are holding an anniversary event in conjunction with World Wetland Day. Come celebrate with us and experience the reserve first hand in a unique and special way! Mother of Ducks is an important place for local Anaiwan and Banbai people and is a rare breeding place for many freshwater wetland bird species and a resting place for numerous migratory birds. Visit nswparks.info/motherofducks50 for more information.

Jazz, Blues & Alt. Grooves @ the Dog

Welder's Dog Bar cnr Marsh and Rusden Streets, ARMIDALE, NSW

The Dan Hopkins Experience - Australian Blues/Roots/Gospel artist, Dan Hopkins, plays a punchy brand of modern roots that has a distinct delta flavour with soul and gospel overtones. With his music partner, Eddie Fisher, on drums, Dan creates an experience that could be described as Ash Grunwald, Eric Bibb and Paul Kelly meeting down at the crossroads. This culminates in an emotionally driven journey down a sweetly plucked, but often, dirty slide guitar-borne road across the Southern blues idiom. Music […]