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SUPPORT GROUP
Friday 3 July
The Adult Survivors of Child Abuse - Cowra Support Group meets on the first Friday of each month from 12.30pm to 2.30pm and is open to survivors of all communities. All details online via: heal.itmatters.com.au. Alternatively, call Pascale, the facilitator, on 0458 698 460.
NAIDOC CELEBRATIONS
6-9 July
Lifestyle Solutions in Parkes is offering a series of free workshops during NAIDOC Week, bringing children, carers, families, elders and the community together to celebrate culture, connection and community, with the theme '50 years of Deadly'.
Day 1 on Monday 6 July is a three hour clap stick workshop with Wiradjuri local Kyah Turnbull from 10am-1pm and a sausage sizzle lunch with Parkes Rotary Club at Lifestyle Solutions office at Suite 5, 195-199 Clarinda Street.
Day 2 on Tuesday 7 July is a canvas art workshop with Aboriginal artist and curator Irene Ridgeway from 10am-1pm - wear your worst clothes and be prepared to get messy. No age limits, come along and join the fun at the Lifestyle Solutions office, which will be followed by light refreshments for lunch.
Day 3 on Wednesday 8 July will be a community event at Cheney Oval from 10am-3pm: Meet the Lifestyle Solutions team and find out more about the services and support available. They will be joining the PCYC Nations of Origin team and there will be plenty of stalls, fun and activities for all ages. There will also be a cookie design workshop with Crumb and Frost by Carly.
Day 4 on Thursday 9 July is a traditional Aboriginal fishing net making workshop with Arts OutWest from 10am-1pm at the Lifestyle Solutions office. Afterwards join them for a warm, slow cooked, hearty lunch of homemade soups and curries. RSVP is required for catering and activity supplies, by 4 July, to LSS cultural advisor on 0472 557 364.
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AT PCYC
6-20 July
Keep the kids entertained these school holidays with a fun-filled program at the Parkes PCYC in Pearce Street they’ll love. Running from 8am–4pm Monday to Friday, there's a great range and variety of activities, games and fun each day. It’s the perfect way to keep the kids active and happy over the break. Cost is $55 per day with lunch orders available at $15 per day. Bookings can be made directly via email parkes@pcycnsw.org.au or call 6862 3825. Limited places are available.
SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
7-14 July
Parkes Library and Cultural Centre is the place to be these July school holidays with a range of activities planned: The schedule begins with button mosaics for Years K-2 on Tuesday 7 July 10.30am-12pm $2, holiday flicks (PG) for Years K-6 on Wednesday 8 July 10.30am-12pm free, K-Pop themed lock-in for Years 5-8 on Monday 13 July 5.30pm-7pm $5, and fingerprint fun for Years 3-6 on Tuesday 14 July 10.30am-12pm $2. All can be booked through https://humanitix.com.
ASTRONOMY TALKS
7-16 July
These school holidays there will be astronomy talks at The Dish (Parkes Radio Telescope) on these dates: Tuesday 7 July, Thursday 9 July, Tuesday 14 July and Thursday 16 July. All at 11am in the 3D theatre room. Free entry.
STARGAZING AT THE DISH
Wednesday 8 July
Enjoy a magical evening of stargazing from 5.30pm to 8pm at Murriyang (The Dish) – CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope. Central West Astronomical Society will be onsite with their telescopes for visitors to view the night sky. A barbecue will be available (costs apply – cash only) and there will be picnic tables available for visitors to bring their own food and drinks. The playground will be open and there will be fun science games for everyone. This is a free, family winter event, so please rug up. If the weather is cloudy or stormy please call to confirm – (02) 6861 1777.
SCREEN PRINTING
Thursday, 9 July
There will be two sessions of screen printing fun for students in Years 3-6 (10am-11.30am) and 7–12 (12.30pm-2pm) at the Parkes Library and Cultural Centre. Students design bold, eye-catching artworks and transform them into vibrant prints using simple stencil techniques. Perfect for exploring patterns, colour, and design, this engaging activity builds confidence while introducing real-world art processes. Tickets are $10 and can be found at https://humanitix.com.
CROP SWAP
Saturday 11 July
The next Parkes crop swap will take place on Saturday 11 July at the Parkes Arts and Sustainability Hub at 33A Albert Street, Parkes.
NIGHT OF STAND-UP COMEDY
Tuesday 14 July
Comedian Jimmy Kuratz is bringing his Small Town Comedy Tour and "Good Doctor. Dumb Life Choices" show to the Parkes Leagues Club at 7pm. He's a flannel-wearing small-town Doctor of Chiropractic who's a little wild, a little wrong and a lot funnier than he should be. It's 80 minutes of fast, sharp, unapologetically funny comedy. If you’re tired of safe, predictable comedy and want something real, this show delivers. Early bird tickets are $20.90 but are limited, otherwise general admission is $27.50. Visit https://events.humanitix.com/parkes-leagues-club-nsw-stand-up-comedy.
BUSH DANCE AND POETRY
Competition closes 18 July, event Saturday 25 July
A Bush Dance, Dinner and Poetry night is coming to the Adavale Lane Community Hall from 5pm so kick-up your heels, pull on your boots and bring the family along. There will be entertainment from The Kelly Gang Bush Band, a jumping castle for the kids and finalists in the bush poetry competition will recite their poems with great prizes to be won. There are two categories and three age divisions, and it's free to enter. Full details can be found on Adavale Lane Community Hall's Facebook page, as well as the entry form. The competition closes on 18 July. Dinner will be a barbecue feast, guests are asked to bring a salad and dessert along to share, and it's bring your own drinks. Cost is $15 per adult, $5 per child and $40 per family. Tickets at www.trybooking.com/DNEAO, numbers are limited. Read more on page 4.
CWAS ASTROFEST
18-19 July
The 2026 CWAS AstroFest is returning to the Central West with an exciting program of events, spread over two days. The Central West of NSW boasts some of the darkest skies in Australia, and as such it is a wonderful place to appreciate the wonders of the night sky. In an effort to foster, encourage and promote astronomy in the region, the Central West Astronomical Society is holding its annual festival of astronomy, or AstroFest, this July. The festival endeavours to bring to the people of the Central West world renowned astronomers, both professional and amateur, so they may share their enthusiasm and love of the heavens. AstroFest will incorporate a one-day conference at the Bushman’s Motor Inn on Saturday 18 July and a program of associated events. In a series of lectures, guest speakers will provide fascinating insights into various aspects of modern astronomy. On the Sunday events will move to the CSIRO Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre with a free program of daytime astronomy and talks. For more information and to register visit https://www.cwas.org.au/astrofest/.
RAISE THE WINGS DINNER
Saturday 25 July
Secure your tickets now for the 2026 Raise Wings Dinner at Club Forbes. This special event is dedicated to raising vital funds for Little Wings, a charity committed to providing free flights and ground transport services for seriously ill children and their families in regional NSW. Enjoy a night filled with delicious food, inspiring stories from families supported by Little Wings, and the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of those in need. Tickets are limited: https://events.humanitix.com/raise-the-wings-forbes-2026
GALARI RIVER ARTS FESTIVAL
31 July, main events 8 August
The Galari River Arts Festival will return to Forbes bigger than ever this year, with a 10-day program celebrating creativity, collaboration and community involvement. The official launch takes place on Friday July 31 at Dave Cutler’s Forbes Guitar Academy and will feature a youth art exhibition, marking the beginning of 10 days of artistic activity across the town. The main festival day – Saturday 8 August – will see activities spread across Lions Park and Wheogo Park, offering a diverse mix of entertainment and experiences: live music, markets and food vendors, yoga, storytelling and meditation sessions, and lantern parade in the evening. Between the two venues, Bates’ Bridge will be closed for the day and actually provide the platform for the first performance of the day. For more information visit the Galari River Arts Forbes Inc Facebook page.
COWRA TRAIN RIDES
Last Saturday and Sunday of each month, 10am
View the gorgeous Cowra countryside from the beautifully restored Planet 52 and two cars on board a trip from the heritage listed Cowra Railway Station to the Lachlan Bridge and back! Pop into one of the many rooms at the Cowra Railway Station also open for inspection along with Vintage Cars from the Cowra Antique Vehicle Club. On Sunday, hop aboard the newly refurbished MBV 931 Lounge Car and be transported back in time! Lovingly restored to its original glory, the Lounge Car is the latest addition to Cowra's versatile function spaces and offers a variety of local wines and specialty beers. Grab a coffee or tea and relax with a delicious scone! Tickets available on the day at the Station.
YOUTH LOCK-IN
Tuesday 4 August
This Youth Lock‑In is a The Big Think National Science Week edition. Exclusive after‑hours access to the Marramarra Makerspace from 5pm-7pm. Spend the night exploring, experimenting and creating with full access to the podcasting equipment, 3D printers, laser cutters, Cricut, robotics and more. This is your chance to take over the space, try new tech, learn from each other and bring your ideas to life. Make, create, collaborate - and yes, pizza is absolutely included. This is a youth event so attendees must be in Year 7 to Year 12 and all must be members of the library. Tickets $5 at https://events.humanitix.com/youth-lock-in-3/tickets.
EARTHBOUND AND BEYOND
Friday 7 August
The opening of Earthbound and Beyond - a collaborative exhibition by the Parkes Painters and Parkes Potters takes place on Friday 7 August at 6pm at the Parkes Library and Cultural Centre. Enjoy an inspiring evening of art, music, refreshments and great company as we celebrate the creativity of our local artists.
THE GREAT STEAM CHALLENGE
Saturday 15 August
Register now and to be part of a team for the Construct and Conquer: The Great STEAM Challenge to tackle a hands-on STEAM challenge from 9am to 11.30am at the Parkes Library and Cultural Centre. Participants will discuss, think, create, build, test and build some more, pushing creativity and design to the limit until the challenge is complete, tried and tested. With prizes up for grabs, it's a fast-paced, problem-solving adventure designed to spark teamwork, innovation and plenty of fun. Suitable for students in Years 5-10. Come up with a team or staff can help assign you one. Refreshments will be provided and all attendees must be members of the library. Register for free at https://events.humanitix.com/construct-and-conquer-the-great-steam-challenge.
MAKERSPACE IN MOTION
Thursday 20 August
To celebrate National Science Week, the Parkes Library and Cultural Centre is bringing some exciting events to its centre. They're calling adults and youth (Year 7 and up) to attend their drop-in session in the Makerspace Studio after hours from 4pm to 6.30pm to see STEAM come to life. Explore what is on offer in the Makerspace as the team demonstrates 3D printing, laser cutting, the embroidery sewing machine, robotics in action and Cricut. A perfect chance to sign-up for membership and there will be some give-a-ways. Come and go anytime during this session and be sure to book in for The Big Think science talk with operations scientist at the CSIRO Parkes Radio Observatory John Sarkissian directly after this session. The topic is "Challenging Concepts: how well do we know what we think we know?". Light refreshments will be served. Register for both events separately at events.humanitix.com.
READING DAY
Friday 16 October
The Parkes Paint the Town REaD committee has announced the theme of this year's reading day and it's 'Paint the Town with Music'. So families and students in kindergarten to Year 2, get ready for another exciting literary journey and get musical. More details coming soon.
MACK LABEL BALL
Saturday 17 October
The Mack Label Ball is a special night created to honour Mack Mitchell and raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental health. Join us for an unforgettable evening of live music, black tie glamour, and great food from 6pm-11:30pm at the Parkes Racecourse. The night will feature performances from Scarlett Gee, Lenny Boss, Adam Davison, Missy Lancaster and Vince Phillips, creating an electric atmosphere from start to finish. Guests will enjoy a complimentary drink on arrival, alongside canapés, cocktails, and drinks served throughout the evening, with plenty of entertainment, great company, and memorable moments. The event will also include live auctions, with proceeds helping to cover event costs, and all remaining funds going back into the community to support mental health and suicide awareness initiatives. After the ball, celebrations will continue at the The Cambridge Hotel, with a DJ, drink specials, and buses provided for guest transport. This is a night to come together, dress up, celebrate life, and make a difference. It's strictly black tie with a touch of country and 18+ event.
NORTHPARKES OPEN DAY
Saturday 24 October
Save the date - you're invited to Evolution Mining Northparkes Operations Open Day. There’ll be plenty to see and do, with opportunities to meet the team, explore interactive displays, and enjoy a great day out with family and friends. Free buses will be provided. More details coming soon.
Want to add to this list? Email mblackstock@midwestmedia.com.au