Gulgong MADS & The Prince of Wales Opera House are pleased to announce the Back to Gulgong festival that will take place over the October long weekend (03/10/2024 – 06/10/2024). The weekend will see current and past Gulgong musicians performing as well as a host of well-known traditional musicians from all over the country.
GUEST PERFORMERS
Duffy Family Border Band – Walcha Road Bush Band – Stringy Bark Bush Band – Two Voices in the Crowd – Rattle the Pots – Mal Winkle Band – Rob and Ollie Willis – Tom Bromley – Max Elbourne – Moshe Pleshet – Jock Webb – Paddy Affley – Jim & Rhonda Westwood – Rob Long – Matt Gaudry – Luke Gaudry – Mathew Clarke – Roger Hargraves – Bruce Cameron – Jim McWhinnie – Bob Campbell & Jake Fahy with past and present members of Home Rule
WEEKEND PROGRAM
THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER – Prince of Wales Opera House
- Flautist Pu-Yu Wu invites you to An Expedition with Schocker – 00pm (Entry by donation)
FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER – PRINCE OF WALES OPERA HOUSE
- GULGONG FOLK CONCERT FOR MUSICIANS AND POETS (Performers to contact Bob Campbell)
7.30pm (Doors open 6.30pm for Performers & 7.30pm for Audience)
- $10 per person & $5 Children/Concessions
SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER – PRINCE OF WALES OPERA HOUSE
Afternoon
- 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Contemporary Poetry of Our Region – Join our panel of three lively
Poets, Eila Jameson-Avey, Jorrie Ryan and Monica Lee, in discussions about why poetry moves us. Hear local poets perform at a poetry slam session. Come along to learn all the answers to your burning questions about poetry and learn about places where you can meet like-minded people.
Evening
- CONCERT FOR SHARON FROST WITH HOME RULE 40TH ANNIVERSARY ALBUM INCLUSIONLAUNCH 30pm (Doors open 7.00pm)
- $20 per person & $10 Children/Concessions
SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER – PRINCE OF WALES OPERA HOUSE
Morning
- Gerard Gillet (Guitars) & Graeme McDonald (Mandolin & Bouzouki) – Free Instrument Making Workshop 10.00am
Afternoon
- Max Elbourne (alias Rex Havoc) – Free Concert Tribute to John Dengate (Artists wishing to perform contact Bob Campbell) 1.00pm
- In The Days When Our Beards Were Black – Free concert @ 2.30pm with songs, ditties, dances, tall stories, yarns and poetry from the early days of Gulgong. National Library of Australia Folklore collectors Rob and Ollie Willis share memories and music with Bob Campbell and some mates.
Thanks to the early recordings of Folklorist and song collector John Meredith and others, many of the significant folklore traditions of the Gulgong area are preserved in the NLA Folklore collection.
As well as hearing some quick grabs of these early recordings we will bring the songs and tunes back to life again.
Evening
- CONCERT FOR THE OPERA HOUSE – CELEBRATING 53 YEARS OF THIS UNIQUE COMMUNITY FACILITY 30pm (Doors open 7.00pm)
- $20 per person & $10 Children/Concessions
Tickets for the evening Opera House Concerts available at Prince of Wales Opera House Website and at the door on the night. Proceeds from the Opera House events will go towards the on-going operational costs for, and improvements to, the Prince of Wales Opera House.
OTHER VENUES – There will be informal sessions in various venues throughout the weekend including:
- Centennial Hotel – Friday night informal session in the dining room Saturday and Sunday informal sessions in the dining room all day and Blackboard Concert in the beer garden from 10.00am
- Bonito Mexican restaurant – various solo performers
- Other than the planned events there will be free concerts in the Opera House throughout the Saturday & Sunday from 10.00am to 5.00pm when time slots are available
WEDNESDAY 2 OCTOBER – Gulgong RSL Club – Richie Gudgeon 7.00pm
FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER – Prince of Wales Hotel – Dan Hanrahan (Times TBC)
SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER
- Markets & Blackboard Concert in Coronation Park
- Community Photo at Intersection of Mayne/Herbert Streets 11.00am
- Prince of Wales Hotel – Dan Hanrahan (Times TBC)
SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER
- Gulgong RSL Club – Poets Brunch 10.00am
- Gulgong Bowling Club – Bush Dance with Walcha Road Bush Band 8.00pm