What’s on This Weekend: June 10 -12

FRIDAY, JUNE 10

Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces Opening Night

The opening event of the 2016 Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces, the ‘Fashions of the Fleece’ will be held at the Merriwa RSL.

A major raffle prize will be drawn and entertainment with party band ‘Everyday People’ and National Bush Poet Robyn Skyes.

Food and beverages can be purchased from the RSL, strictly no BYO food or drinks.

Book your tickets via the link below.
https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=185918

• WHAT: Merriwa Tyre & Service Centre ‘Fashion of the Fleeces’
• WHERE: Merriwa RSL Club, Bettington Street, Merriwa
• WHEN: 6.00pm to 9.00pm
• COST: $15 adult, $8 u18, $40 family of four- 2 adults and 2 u18’s
• CONTACT: Jan Sinclair : 02 6540 1301

Barn Concert

SATURDAY, JUNE 11

Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces

The Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces has been a major Upper Hunter event since its inception in 1990.

The festival was established to promote agriculture of the Merriwa district with particular focus on the Merino sheep and how the sheep industry has shaped the community.

The most widely known event of the festival will see 200 sheep with red woolen socks running down through the main Highway and business district of the town leading a parade of other local attractions.

There is a full programme of events including hanging of the quilts, street parade, team penning, wool spinning demos, dog high jump, dog trials, street stalls and culminating in fireworks at the showground at 6pm.

• What: Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces and the running of the sheep
• Where: Merriwa town centre, Golden Highway, Merriwa.
• When: 8am to 7pm- Rosto running of the sheep at 12 noon. Entertainment moves to the Merriwa Showground at 3pm.

8am to 3.30pm

• Street stalls Situated along the main street of Merriwa. Fresh homemade produce, arts and crafts, face painting, and plenty of food and coffee.
• Kid’s corner Crn Bettington & Vennacher Streets. Roar Petting Zoo, Sparkles the Clown, face painting, GJ’S Laser Tag, Croc Stars Reptile Show, The Waste Wrappers Show, jumping castle & slides, penny arcade games, mini-car rides, sideshow alley.

8.00am

• CWA morning tea & lunch and knitting exhibition Location: CWA Building. Cakes, soup and slices made by the local ladies from the Merriwa CWA as well a display of knitting by the ladies of the CWA
• Team penning Location: Merriwa Showground. UHTP competition starts at 8am breaking for the parade at 11am and resuming between 1pm and 4pm. Team Penning is held on Saturday and Sunday with the presentation held at 4.00pm on Saturday. The Battle of the Sexes Cut Out Competition runs all day and proceeds from competition entries go to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. All competitors must be members of UHTP or become day members at the event.

8.30am

• Wool spinning demonstration Location: Main Street. Spinning yarn from wool straight off the sheep’s back.

9.00am

• The City of Maitland pipes and drums Location: Main Street. Come and listen to the pipers as they play some rousing Scottish strathspeys and jigs.

9.30am

•  Modern day shearing display Location: outside the Royal Hotel. Observe the shearers shear their sheep and toss the fleece for classing.
• Masters wool challenge Location: outside Merriwa Welcoming Centre. A display of local knitters.
• Hanging of the quilts Location: Merriwa School of Arts. Talents from local quilters will be displayed all day.

9.45am

•  Motoring vintage vehicle display Location: Next to The Royal Hotel. View a selection of restored vehicles and farming equipment and speak to the owners who restored these vehicles.

10.am to 11.30am

•  Damper with cockies joy & billy tea Location: Fitzroy Hotel (Bow Street). See how real bread was made back in the day.
• Holy Trinity open day Location: Holy Trinity Church (Bow Street). Come and explore Holy Trinity in Bow Street, from 10.00am to 12noon and 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Enjoy the expert cooking skills and hospitality of the women of the Anglican Church.
• Merriwa Fire and Rescue NSW open day Location: Merriwa Station (Bettington Street). Between 10.00am -2.00pm tours of the station and free gift packs for children are on offer.

11.50am

•  Welcome to country – Presented by Kamilaroi Elder Aunty Rosalind.

12pm

•  ROSTO RUNNING OF THE SHEEP: See 200 sheep in red socks lead the parade for the running of the sheep.

1pm

• Dog high jump Location: Intersection of Kids Corner. Watch the local farm dogs as they hurdle the increasing height jump to show their enthusiasm for getting on the back of a truck.

2pm

• Working sheep dog display Location: Outside The Royal Hotel. Zac Ede will work his dogs around the sheep to herd the sheep into their pen.

From 3pm

•  The entertainment moves to the showground

3pm to 4pm

• Gumboot throwing competition. Location: Merriwa Showground. $2 entry fee. Compete in open men’s, women’s, boy’s and girl’s; under 5, and over 60, please no steel cap boots.
• Sheep poo spitting competition. Location: Merriwa Showground. $2 entry fee. Jelly beans are actually used but it simulates the real poo. Open men’s and women’s, boys and girls, under 5 and over 60.

4pm

• Children’s hobby sheep races Location: Merriwa Showground. Race for the title of Festival Champion and the winner’s prize.
• Lolly scramble. Location: Merriwa Showground. Buckets of lollies will be cannoned into the air, fun for parents and kids!
• Tug of war. Location: Merriwa Showground. Boys verses girls and mixed teams.
• Team Penning presentation. Location: Merriwa Showground
•  
• 5.45pm
• Festival presentations. Location: Merriwa Showground. Festival Of The Fleeces Committee announce the winners for Best Float Entry, Best Window Display, Colouring in Competition and Pam Power Award.

6pm

• Ka-Boom fireworks Location: Merriwa Showground. Watch the closing of the day with a spectacular fireworks display.

 

SUNDAY, JUNE 12

Bush Poets Breakfast – Festival of the Fleeces

The bush poets can be heard at the bush poets breakfast, starting 8.00am.

There is a cooked breakfast to be enjoyed while you listen to the bush poets verse their hearts out for a piece of the $500 prize pool.

Robyn Sykes the 2012 Australian Women’s Bush Poetry Champion will be judging the event.

The Merriwa CWA is sponsoring the event and would love to see you there.

For the full programme see the festival’s website http://www.festivalofthefleeces.com.au/

• What: Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces Bush Poets Breakfast
• Where: CWA Hall, Bettington Street, Merriwa.
• When: 8am to 11am
• Cost: $5 donation at the door
• Contact: Jan Sinclair : 02 6540 1301  to register

8am

• Team penning. Location: Merriwa Showground.Team penning continues with prizes for 1st place in all divisions.Top ten shoot out for the weekend held after Sunday’s competition.

 9am

• Anglican Parish ‘blessing of the fleece’ service Location: Holy Trinity Church, Bow Street.Followed by morning tea.

 

Aberdeen Car Boot Sale and Family Fun Day

Aberdeen Tigers Rugby League Football Club is hosting a car boot sale and fun day as a fundraiser for the club.

There will be Kids Karts, GJ Laser Tag and stalls for everyone.

The canteen will open to provide food and refreshments.

One persons trash is another persons treasure so if you have something to sell but don’t have enough for a garage sale then the Tiger would love to see you there.

Contact Tina on 6541 0034 between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday or 0401 448 017 after the above hours to book a stall.

• What: Aberdeen car boot sale and family fun day
• Where: Jefferson Park, Aberdeen.
• When: 10am to 4pm
• Contact: Tina : 0401 448 017 or 02 6541 0034