What's on and things to do around the Central West region and byond

Blockbuster movies and the roar of engines are part of the plans for the final weeks of the Dubbo Westview Drive-In. The gates of the iconic outdoor cinema will close for the final time on the weekend of April 1-2, after the privately-owned land it operates on was sold in January, paving the way for a new chapter for the property. Each weekend leading up to the April closure will feature a range of new and classic movies and there will also be two major car and motorcycle events.

Bliss N Eso has rescheduled their planning Dubbo show at the Garden Hotel. The tour has been pushed back due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. They were scheduled to be in Dubbo on Saturday, February 12 but will now perform on Friday, May 6. Ticket holders for all NSW shows don't need to take any action - all tickets remain valid for new dates.

Head back to a time when the Rivoli Dance Palace was a music mecca for the masses when Dance Makers Collective's THE RIVOLI comes to the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre on April 1 and 2. The event aims to capture the spirit of the Rivoli Dance Palace, an iconic social scene for waltz, rumba, rhythm and rock. Throughout the performance, you'll hear the voices of local people who dance here in this region, including Ruth Carney, Paul Martin, Helen Emblem and Farhana Chandran. THE RIVOLI will also feature 10 local contemporary dance students, and 10 rock'n roll dancers from the region. Tickets for the show are on sale now and can be booked through the DRTCC box office by visiting www.drtcc.com.au or by calling (02) 6801 4378.

Taking place at in the Drama Room at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, Smokescreen brings Dubbo residents the opportunity to witness iconic and influential films from the history of cinema.

The theme for 2022 is 'The River'. These are films in which a river plays an important part in the telling of the story. Each month through to November will bring a different feature film. The next film to be screened is Frozen River (2008) on April 2 from 4pm. Tickets are $10 and are avaialble online on 123tix and include a complimentary standard drink at the Establishment following the film.

Only held a few times a year, don't miss out on grabbing a bargain or a unique, special gift from the Geurie Lions Market. Over 60 stalls offering arts, crafts and home-made goodies. Saturday, April 30. 8am to 1pm. Wise Park, Mitchell Highway, Geurie.

Dubbo is set to rock out to the tunes of Country meets soul when Troy Cassar-Daley and Ian Moss get on stage later this month. The two are touring their Together Alone show from March to October - playing over 30 gigs across mainland and regional Australia - and Dubbo is one of the first cabs off the rank. During the concert you'll hear music from Troy Cassar-Daley's ARIA winning album and some of Ian Moss' all-time greatest hits. They are set to take to the stage at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre on Wednesday, March 30. Tickets at drtcc.com.au.

Central Coast band Little Quirks to play in Dubbo on their regional The Rain Is Coming tour, to tie in with Tamworth Country Music Festival. Last in Dubbo in 2019, Little Quirks is a high-energy folk pop band featuring siblings and cousins Jaymi Toole (vocals, mandolin), Abbey Toole (vocals, guitar) and Mia Toole (drums). Friday, April 22 . The Garden Hotel. Tickets and information at www.littlequirksband.com.

Block Fest is an arts festival is a celebration of all things music, visual arts, dance and drama and will descend on Bathurst High Campus on April 8.

Head on down to help celebrate talented students by seeing them exhibit and perform, supporting renowned Aussie Rock group Mi-Sex headlining our Main Stage and the unveiling of their newest art-piece and student exhibition from well-known Australian multidisciplinary mural artist, Beastman. Wander through the Market Place, or grab a bite to eat at the Eat Street between viewing various Visual Arts exhibitions and many theatre and musical performances.

One of the friendliest little markets in the West is set to make a return to Wellington from 8am to 1pm on Saturday March 26. You will be able to find some excellent food and beverarages along with fresh produce, toys, artisan soaps and beauty products, clothing and collectibles and much more. The Rotary Markets will be set up at Cameron Park on Nanima Crescent.

Jump on the train and enjoy an evening of fun and excitement taking you out to Manildra. Guests will board the train at Orange and travel at a leisurely pace to Manildra, When booking your spot on the train you have a choice of dinner options; The Amusu Theatre or The Royal Hotel. The Amusu Theatre ticket includes a homemade supper, entry to the theatre and a showing of a vintage short film. The Royal Hotel ticket includes continuous finger food plus desert. You will have access to the dining room and the outside upstairs verandah. The train departs on Saturday, March 26. Tickets available online at https://www.lvr.com.au/manildra-dinner-train

The second A Day on the Green concerts for Orange, headlined by ARIA award-winning pop rock outfit Lime Cordiale, has been cancelled. The concert was due to be held at Heifer Station Wines on April 24.

Celebrating its 31st year, FOOD Week is a celebration of the region's diverse local produce, talented chefs, passionate producers and cool-climate wine. The event is a 10-day festival with six signature events complemented by over 70 satellite events hosted at restaurants, cellar doors and a selection of outdoor locations. This year's signature events include: Forage on Saturday, April 9, The Sampson Street Lunch on Saturday, April 1, the FOOD Train from Friday, April 8 to Sunday, April 10, FOOD HQ will run daily throughout festival from the Orange Visitor Information Centre. Some events are ticketed so get in quick.

Clear your plans for this June long weekend as a Winter Jazz Festival is set to liven up the town. The festival will see a mix of internationally renowned and local artists perform in a series of close to 50 concerts at venues throughout the CBD. Ticketed venues will include The Civic Theatre, church spaces and local pubs and clubs. There'll also be a free venue that will feature local amateur musicians, including school bands. The festival will kick off on Friday June 3.

Head on down to Live At Yours on Byng Street next Thursday, March 31 to listen to a variety of classical music performed by renowned concert pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk. He will present a rich programme ranging from Beethoven's Moonlight sonata to the powerful Rachmaninov second sonata. The concert begins at 7:30pm and tickets can be purchased from Ticketek.

You can get your weekly fix of live music every Saturday this Autumn at Stockman's Ridge. Each Saturday from 1pm to 5pm you can enjoy live tunes from local musicians with views of the vineyard hills, delicious food and drinks in a relaxed country setting. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased from Stockman's Ridge.

With 300 stalls booked in to be at Redmond Oval in Millthorpe, it's going to be a great market when it returns on Sunday, April 3. You'll be able to find the perfect gift at the markets with stallholders coming from There are stallholders coming from Sydney, Queensland the ACT and Victoria.

Supporting the Tarana Volunteer Rural Fire Service.

Head on down to Tarana this Sunday March 27 to pick up a range of local produce direct from farms and kitchens. Products range from farm meats, free range eggs, fruit and vegetables, jams and preserves, cakes and sweets, breads and salami, local wines to live alpacas. Money Money raised by the markets is used in support of the Tarana Rural Fire Service (RFS), or put towards other community projects.

Described as "a hell of a play in a holy place", The Silver Tunnel confronts the difficult topic of suicide by celebrating life, with lots of laughs along the way. The play will act as a promotion for The Rev Bill Crews Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that supports poor, homeless and disadvantaged people across the country. April 8, 8pm. April 9, 4pm and 8pm. Bathurst Uniting Church. Free. Visit www.thesilvertunnel.org.

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery is enlightening visitors with exhibitions looking at stop-motion animation and doily designs. The Artist as Animator features works from the CEL arts collective - a synthesis of local, national, and international artists - while and Based on a True Story is by Kandos artist Fleur MacDonald, who's exhibition features hand-crafted doilies inspired by the story of Lucy Williams, who made doilies from the age of seven to the age of 100. Until April 3. For more information visit www.bathurstart.com.au.

The Bathurst Writers' and Readers' Festival is set to return to town from May 20 to 22. The program has yet to be released, but typically the event consists of three days of live streamed events direct from the Sydney Writers' Festival (SWF), along with a program of local author talks.

Start your engines for top action on the track with the Bathurst 12 Hour which will be held over three days from May 13. Race fans are now able to buy their tickets for the Bathurst 12 Hour. People can purchase tickets for trackside access, grandstand seating and VIP event parking, which permits parking at the front gate of the event for a single day, the weekend, or all three days. Kids aged 12 years and under receive free trackside entry when accompanied by a paying adult. Visit www.bathurst12hour.com.au to find tickets.

While it might not be on until September 18, the Edgell Jog is set to make an anticipated return after a two year hiatus. There will be major prizes for first, second and third male and female across the line. There will also be the inaugural Lou Shehade award, honouring the late long serving committee member. Under the COVID-19 safe format, there will be no limits on participants, just no milling around at the end.

Head on down to Live At Yours on William Street on April 1 to listen to a variety of classical music performed by renowned concert pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk. If his performance at Orange on March 27 is anything to go by, he will present a rich programme ranging from Beethoven's Moonlight sonata to the powerful Rachmaninov second sonata. The concert begins at 7:30pm and tickets can be purchased from Ticketek.

Get ready to venture out to the villages, sit back, relax, listen to live music, and watch a movie under the stars. Music and Movies in the Villages is an initiative by Blayney and Cabonne councils under the NSW Government's Festival of Place Summer Fund. In Blayney shire the events will be: Friday, March 18; Millthorpe, Redmond Oval; Music 6.30pm Kent Eastwood; Movie 7.45pm Daddy Day Care. Saturday, March 26; Blayney, Carrington Park; Music 6.30pm Sophie Kate; Movie 7.45pm Mamma Mia!

Come along to a photographers meet up and take a chance to take a look around the Platform Arts Hub. The recently restored heritage building is a great place to photograph any genre. Hub president Bradley Bradley will be there all day and happy to help you to get the photo you want. (Please note: It is still a working train station so is not an access-all-areas event, with NSW train station rules and conditions applying.) Sunday, March 27. 10am to 2pm. Platform Arts Hub, Blayney.

Can you play a musical instrument, or have you written a song or a piece of poetry? Maybe you just love to perform in front of an audience, or you have never done it before and want to give it a go. Either way, the Club Millthorpe open mic night could be your chance to shine. At the very least, by showing up you will be supporting live and local talent. Sign up at the door for your chance at 15 minutes of fame. PA and microphone supplied. Friday, April 1 (no joke!). From 7pm. Free entry.

The Blayney Parish Anglican Book Fair and Trading Table is returning with an extra special surprise for book lovers. Local well-known author Kim Kelly will be giving a talk on April 30. Books in good order welcome but encyclopedias, magazines and recipe books don't sell and will be tossed out. Bring your boxes of books down to the parish hall on Adelaide Street on a Tuesday morning for the volunteers to sort through. The book fair will be held on over two weekends, April 22, 23, 29 and 30. Doors will be open from 8.30am to 4.30pm on each day.

The Craft Cuppa 'n' Chat group welcomes regular and new participants. Bring along anything you've finished during lockdown to show others - there might even be a craft "catwalk" to show off the talent. Every Tuesday from 10am to 1pm ... except on the first Tuesday of each month. 10am to 1pm. Millthorpe CWA Hall, 21 Pym Street. $2.50. Contact Gwen on 0409 711 244 for further enquiries.

Sculptures by the Bush is set to return to the Blayney Shire from April 8 to May 1. Local local residents are encouraged to enter the competition across three different classifications including the Hay Bale Art Challenge, a Farm Art Challenge and the Scarecrow Competition. Visitors and locals are invited to explore the region and see the sculptures. Registrations to enter a sculpture close on Monday, April 4.

Get a glimpse of the golden age of farming with the Golden Plough competition this weekend. Entrant numbers are up for the competition's return. As well as the titular competition, there will also be events for novices, ladies, juniors and veterans, and obstacle course events. Competitive entertainment will be complemented by plenty on offer for spectators to enjoy. March 26 and 27. Lyndhurst Golf Club.

Returns to Oberon from April 1 to 30 with an array of tasty activities that showcase foraging, food, wine and the natural attributes that make the region so unique. There are specialised foraging tours through the pine forests, wine trails, 4WD tag along tours and workshops with experts recounting their skills and knowhow on foraging in the forest. The month concludes with a new finale event, The Producers Table, to be held at the Malachi, which re-opens after 40 years in April. The dinner features the Walnut Grove, Lowes Mount Truffles, Down to Earth Produce, Diego Bonetto and Bellbrook Friends, and some special musical performances. Visit www.visitoberon.com/events for information.

The Winemakers & Distillers Trail is part of the Oberon Field to Forest Festival. The doors to boutique vineyards, brewers and distillers across the region are thrown open for three days. Taste some of the finest produce in regional NSW, away from large-scale cellar doors. March 26, April 2 and 9. From 10am. $120pp includes transport. Book at Oberon Visitor Information Centre on 6329 8210 or tourism@oberon.nsw.gov.au, or tickets from www.eventbrite.com.au/e/283841205687.

For those new to foraging, be treated to a great 4WD trip to some of the more remote areas of the forests, where identification and foraging are at its best. There are morning and afternoon itinerary options that allow foraging, collecting, photography and a cook up in the wild. April 2 to 29. Tours depart from the Oberon Visitor Information Centre. www.detouradventures.com.au.

Join professional forager Diego Bonetto as he takes you on a forest walk, uncovering the details of how to find and harvest edible mushrooms. A seasonal must-do to share stories, learn recipes and enjoy amazingly fresh wild mushrooms cooked on the spot. Multiple dates. Get in quick as many of the workshops are sold out. Visit www.diegobonetto.com/foraging-tours. There will also be a Forest Forage to Feast Experience with Diego Bonetto and Marnee Fox. March 27. Visit www.diegobonetto.com/shop/forage-to-feast-march27.

A performance dinner with the Oberon region's produce as a centrepiece, presented by the producers themselves. Dine in the magical atmosphere of the Malachi with an avant-garde classical music performance. April 30. Visit www.malachigilmorehall.com.au.

The 2022 Elvis Festival in Parkes has been launched. Moved from its usual January time due to COVID, the festival returns April 20 to 24 and is jam-packed with a king-sized program of more than 200 events in a rock 'n' roll and Speedway theme (after the 1968 Elvis and Nancy Sinatra film of the same name), including free entertainment on the stage at Cooke Park. For information visit parkeselvisfestival.com.au.

Kicking off from Parkes for seven days of competition on Saturday, March 26 is the 2022 Classic Outback Trial. There will be a gravel daylight Special Stage rally for Historic, Classic and Modern rally cars will be held in Central Western Region of New South Wales starting in Parkes and finishing in Bathurst.

Head to Trundle on March 26 to take a step back in time to check out stationary engines, static displays of machinery, tractors, and motor vehicles. Plus yard dog trials, sheaf tossing, a barb, barbecue and camping facilities. Hosted by the Trundle Show Society at the Trundle Showground.

Parkes' new Cooke Park Pavilion is the venue for a celebration of musical theatre and opera under the beautiful night sky on Saturday April 2. Starring Lucy Durack, one of Australia's leading stars of the stage and screen, and the dynamic Josh Piterman, who has graced the stage in lead roles in both Australia and the West End. Local and regional talent all part of the production. Tickets available 123tix.com.au.

The Black Stump Rodeo will be held on Saturday, March 26 at Three Rivers Recreational Grounds. A canteen, BBQ, bar, and camping facilities will be available to those who attend the COVID-safe event. Gates will open at 10am. Admission prices: adults - $15, children - $5, pensioners - $5. For more information, call Jaclyn Obbard on 0414 435 058 or Bradley Wright on 0428 555 344.

Sunset Sounds will be heading to Craigmoor Wines on Saturday, March 26 featuring some of Australia's all-time favourite rock and pop heroes. Taking the stage in Mudgee in October will be Daryl Braithwaite, Kate Ceberano, Russell Morris, The Black Sorrows, Richard Clapton, Dragon, Ross Wilson, Shannon Noll, Wendy Matthews and Bachelor Girl. Gates open from 12.30pm with the concert starting at 2pm. Tickets via Ticketek.

Ok, it may not be held until October 29, 2022, but general admission tickets are now on sale for the anticipated Wildflowers Festival in Mudgee. The festival will feature a who's who of Australian female musical talent. One stop on a wider tour kicking off in March, the Mudgee event at Craigmoor Wines features Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers, Kate Miller-Heidke, Sarah Blasko, Deborah Conway, Alice Skye and Georgia June. Tickets to Wildflowers are on sale at wildflowerfestivalaustralia.com.au.

This April, the Sydney Bach Society will launch their inaugural 'Bach in the Gardens' tour, starting at the Blue Mountains on April 8, before heading to Mudgee on April 9 to perform at Rosby Wines. The free event will take place at 1pm, finishing up at 2pm.

Join the members of the U3A in beautiful heritage Forbes Town Hall for the annual Seniors Week Variety Concert, this Sunday, March 27. The concert will kick off from 2pm and is presented by Forbes Shire Council and Forbes College for Seniors. Featuring live music and afternoon tea, all for a gold coin donation. All proceeds raised will be donated to the Forbes Red Cross branch. Registration essential with Forbes Shire Council.

The Rural Women's Gathering is coming to Forbes from April 1 to 3! Women's Gatherings are for all rural women including farming women; Aboriginal women; women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; mining women; women in the fishing industry; women who live in regional cities, towns and villages; and coastal women. The event was postponed from last year so go to the 2021 Forbes Rural Women's Gathering website to book your place.

One of the region's favourite music festivals will be returning to Forbes this year, with a double feature planned. First of the bat on April 9 is h Mini-VANFEST - a one day music festival which is set to have a star-studded lineup including Holy Holy, Julia Stone, Jarryd James, Eves Karydas and more. Tickets available on tickets.oztix.com.au. VANFEST will return in it's traditional two-day format in December. More to come.

Get ready for a week of aerial spectacle as the Canowindra International Balloon Challenge returns this year from Saturday, April 2 to Sunday April 10. The festival will feature daily hot air ballooning events, passenger balloon flights, a main street parade. the Cabonne Community Balloon Glow and the ENLIVEN music festival with Eskimo Jo and Jon Stevens.

For tickets and more information visit https://canowindrachallenge.org.au/.

A huge lineup of Australian talent will descend on Canowindra on Saturday April 2 to rock it out. Feature artists Jon Stevens and Eskimo Joe. Plus James Johnston, The Robbie Mortimer Band, Clancy Pye and Phat Brass. The one-day festival is going ahead on the first evening of the balloon festival, with gates opening from 1pm at Canowindra Sports Complex.

Grenfell artist Helen Carpenter along with songwriters and artists from around the region will be travelling to Grenfell to showcase their works reflecting on the last two years. The exhibition will showcase work from across all mediums. You will see painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics, moving image, animation, photography, glass and textiles. The Bathurst exhibition will run Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am-4pm from March 19 to April 3. The exhibition will then move to Grenfell Art Gallery from April 20 to June 2 and then onto galleries and venues around the Central West.

Take the time out to explore the historic Iandra Castle homestead, surrounding buildings and gardens. Gates open from 12pm to 4pm on April 2. Iandra Castle was built between 1908 and 1910 in the Federation Romanesque style by the pioneering engineer Edward Giles Stone. The homestead, with the surrounding agricultural property is a rare example in Australia of the manorial system.