It’s all happening in Ballina this weekend
Ballina is set for huge weekend this October long weekend, with the inaugural Ballina Coastal Country Music Festival, the boat show, Ballina Island Paddle Challenge, the annual Rotary Club Duck Race, and the North Coast Fishing Bonanza sure to attract plenty of interest.
To accommodate the music festival, River Street will be closed – from Moon Street to Cherry Street – from 6am to 5pm on Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of October.
The CBD strip will be transformed into an entertainment mecca, with free live performances at the outdoor McGrath Real Estate Stage and The Dakin River Street Main Stage, situated at the mid-street traffic lights.
The River Street closure will also play host to the town’s first Buskers competition, a chance for amateur and up-and-coming musicians to showcase their talents to festival goers and a judging panel for their chance to win up to $600 cash.
But the 2011 Ballina Coastal Country Music Festival isn’t just for country music fanatics. Activities and performances will include face painting, balloon sculpturing and temporary tattoos from Susan Levot, the Hospital Auxiliary will be selling cakes and crafts, The Pitt Family Circus will take to the street for a show of acrobatics and juggling and the Ballina Bootscooters – a troop of over-50s who have been together for 12 years – will be line-dancing their way down River Street.
One of Australia’s biggest names in country music, Troy Cassar-Daley, will also head to the Shire over the long weekend to perform on Sunday, October 2, at the Lennox Head Cultural & Community Centre.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://reg.eventarc.com/event/view/3547/troy-cassar-daley-show. Phone bookings can be made at Just Funkin’Music Ballina on (02) 6686 2440.
Participating venues to host free gigs include: Ballina RSL Club, Ballina RSL Bowling Club, Cherry Street Sports Club, The Wine Bar, Ballina Seagulls Rugby League Football Club, The Point, Australian Hotel, The Henry Rous Hotel, The Shaws Bay Hotel, Westower Tavern and McGrath Real Estate – River Street Stage Area – River Street.
Head to www.ballinacountrymusic.com for a full list of acts and times.
The second annual Ballina Boat & Leisure Show to be run by the Marine Rescue NSW, Ballina Unit, has some exciting opportunities for the region to check out what’s new in Leisure Craft, Trailers, Fishing, Bait & Tackle, Survival and Navigation Aids and other accessories as well as all things nautical.
Where: Seagulls Rugby League Club.
When: 1st – 2nd October 2011, 9-5pm Saturday 9-4pm Sunday
Entry: $5.00 Adult, Children under 12yrs Free.
Full details at www.vmrballina.com/boatshow.asp
For information on the North Coast Fishing Bonanza, visit www.gamakatsu.com.au/ncfb/
For information on the duck race, see the Ballina Info report.
See the Ballina Info report for details on the Ballina Island Paddle Challenge.
