The weather is glorious, the oranges are sweet, and the countdown is on for the 2019 Regional Australia Bank, Bingara Happy Days Orange Festival. This year’s event will have festival goers dancing in the street as it again takes on the “Happy Days” theme, celebrating the nostalgia and music of the 50s and 60s.
The weekend of events commences on Friday 5th July at 12pm, with the annual Orange Picking Ceremony on Finch Street, in front of the Bingara RSL club. The trees have produced a bumper crop of fruit this year which is sure to meet the approval of even the most discerning orange connoisseur. The ‘Orange Police’ (aka Bingara Central School students) have done a fantastic job of keeping the oranges safe and secure for the picking, and have recently placed signs on each of the trees informing visitors of the sacred Orange Picking tradition.
On Friday night the fun and frivolity kicks off with a special screening of ‘Grease’ at the Roxy Theatre, with all funds raised going towards the 2020 festival. The fundraiser will be a night the whole family can enjoy with 50s fun for everyone! The Roxy café next door will be serving retro diner classics such as milkshakes and hotdogs, and participants are encouraged to sing and dance along during this nostalgic film classic.
For those who really want to get into the spirit of the evening, there will be prizes for the best dressed, so don your leather jackets, poodle skirts or jeans with turned up cuffs.
On Saturday, the retro fun continues with vintage car and fashion displays, screenings of 50s and 60s documentaries and TV shows in the historic Roxy Theatre. There will be Rock n Roll music to get your toes tapping with performances by ‘Darlin and The Midnight Delights’, Shelley Minson and Band and the fabulous Miss Ilona Harker, as well as kid’s rides and entertainment, and rock n roll dance demonstrations.
For those with a will of stone and a stomach of steel, don’t miss the Orange Festival milkshake slurping competition. There are three age categories: 8-11 yrs, 12-16 yrs and 17-97 yrs. The competition kicks off at 1.00pm on the main stage. The contestant to slurp through their milkshake in the fastest time will be crowned the winner.
Following the festival, the Bingara RSL club will be hosting a 50s and 60s Dance Hall from 7.00pm until late with legendry retro DJ Grizzly Adams, as well as dance demonstrations and instruction from the New England Rockabilly Rockers. Even if you have two left feet, Grizzly guarantees he will get you rocking.
The fun doesn’t end there: Sunday 7th July will see the Bingara Sporting Club host a retro beers, bowls and barbecue from 1.30pm. Join in for a relaxing afternoon of lawn bowls with participants encouraged to once again don their safari suit or their leathers and go retro for the afternoon.
The final event in this action packed weekend is a live music and dance cabaret at the Roxy Theatre. Swing through the retro eras with this riotous performance featuring the fabulously sassy, sugary delights from Candy Shop Show Australia. Sugar, Sugar is a musical journey with a twist, which plays homage to some of the best artists of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. With colourful high-energy dance numbers, beautiful vocals and plenty of audience interaction it will be one hell of a party and a fantastic way to cap off a great weekend.
Book Online or call the Bingara Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6724 0066. It is sure to be a great weekend in Bingara so ring your friends, ring your family, and make sure they make it to Bingara for the Regional Australia Bank, Bingara Happy Days Orange Festival weekend.
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