The New Bendigonian Gig Guide – Around the Bend-I-go
What’s The Buzz? Tell Me What’s Happening around Bendigo. Bookmark if you want, we update our Local’s Guide to Bendigo Events regularly. Please scroll down to contact us if you have an event to include.
With the renowned Bendigo Art Gallery closed for renovations, La Trobe University’s centre for contemporary art just across the street in Bendigo’s arts precinct is taking centre stage. Their current exhibition All That is Alive continues until 10 May showcasing artists: Tully Arnot, Saskia van Pagee Anderson, Kylie Banyard, Elisa Jane Carmichael, Sonja Carmichael, Madeleine Collie, Other Matter, Sarah Poulgrain, Mandy Quadrio, Keg de Souza, Magnetic Topographies, and Ivey Wawn. Free public programs are announced via their social media and mailing list.
Discovery Science and Technology Centre, CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks
7 Railway Place, (near the Bendigo Marketplace). Tuesday 3 March – Sunday 29 November 2026
Equal parts engineering lab, art installation and childhood fever dream, this major collaboration with Bendigo Art Gallery transforms humble LEGO® bricks into towering feats of science and imagination. And yes, the exhibition includes a 7.5-metre rocket, a life-size Mars Rover Perseverance and the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity.
Brick by Brick: 10 Years of Building Bendigo
A free exhibition celebrating a decade of creativity from the Bendigo LEGO® User Group, featuring 15 detailed LEGO® recreations of Bendigo landmarks including the Sandhurst Public Offices, former Bendigo Law Courts, Sun Loong, Central Deborah Gold Mine, Charing Cross and more.
This free exhibition will be open daily at the Living Arts Space, located in Bendigo Visitor Centre, from Saturday May 23 until Wednesday August 19, 2026.
Heathcote on Show wine festival this King’s Birthday long weekend from June 6-8, Saturday-Monday. 25 wineries, craft breweries and distilleries open their doors and inviting you to explore taste and enjoy the Heathcote region. More information on their website.
Wine Bank on View at 45 View St, Bendigo has wine tastings every Wednesday from 5.30pm. 10 for non-Members, which is reimbursed with any wine tasting purchase, or buy a dozen bottles and become a member and enjoy the weekly tastings for free. The restaurant is open Midday til Late Monday – Saturday.
Scroll down for film, theatre & live performances … and while you’re down there, leave a comment if you have other suggestions for our gig guide, or if you went to one of these events … we’d love to hear from you.
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Live Music in Bendigo
Bendigo’s premier live music venue Golden Vine Hotel includes Thursday night’s Open Mic Night (the local talent is very very good). The pub has great counter lunches and Monday is $24 Steak Night.
The local music industry has banded together to put together their gig guide which is the best listing of who is playing where … support Live Music Bendigo.
If you prefer a club environment, All Seasons Resort Hotel on McIvor Rd is showing Sons of Aussie Rock at 8:30pm, Friday 24th April. All Seasons is a favourite lunch spot for local Bendigonians – they do very good meals at reasonable prices.
While we’re talking live music, check out Harley Parker‘s photo exhibition at Shedshaker Brewing Company in Castlemaine of live music from the 1970s supporting his new book ‘Just One In The Crowd’ … Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, and a swag of Aussie bands including Bon Scott pre-AC/DC.
Seriously – check out Harley Parker’s photos … they bring back a ton of memories, just like good photos should!
Bendigo with Love: Photographs of the 50s and 60s by Allan Doney
This Easter, the Bendigo Historical Society invites visitors to step back into mid-century Bendigo through the lens of one of its most notable photographers. Opening on Good Friday at History House, 11 Mackenzie St, Bendigo, Bendigo with Love showcases Allan Doney’s photographs from the 1950s and 60s, capturing a city in transition. The exhibition runs across the Easter weekend from 11am to 3pm, with free entry for all. Following the opening, the exhibition continues on Thursdays and Saturdays from 11am to 2pm through to 8 August 2026.
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Bendigo’s Theatre & Live Performance
This month leans heavily into music, movement, and a touch of nostalgia across Bendigo’s stages. The month opens with the Jane Barnes Band bringing an intimate, family-centred performance to Ulumbarra, followed quickly by the high-energy spectacle of K-Pop Icons Live. Local talent shines in the Bendigo Youth Music Autumn Camp Gala, while Oshun at The Engine Room offers something more elemental—dance, drumming, and myth woven into a solo performance.
Family-friendly theatre has a strong presence, from the playful chaos of Emma Memma to the whimsical search in Where is the Green Sheep? Meanwhile, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow rolls into town on 30 April with a mixed bag of sharp, touring stand-up.
Running alongside the headline acts are ongoing programmes like View Street Amplified, Live on View, and Cushion Concerts, keeping live music and performance ticking steadily through the city. At Dudley House, Running on Empty – The Power of Play adds an immersive, thought-provoking exhibition to the mix.
In short: whether you’re chasing a big night out, a quiet cultural fix, or something to keep the kids entertained, Bendigo’s stages are doing their best to make sure you don’t stay home.
Art House Cinema … Star Cinema, Eaglehawk Town Hall
Set inside the stately Eaglehawk Town Hall, Star Cinema is Bendigo’s unapologetic art house cinema—programmed for cinephiles who like to read a good movie and storylines that don’t come with a marketing tie-in. The couches are plush, the lighting forgiving, and the bar stocked with local wines that make you feel vaguely European even before the opening credits roll.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 – Nearly twenty years after the original became a cultural phenomenon, the iconic fashion-world comedy returns to the big screen this June starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.
Here are the current screenings at Star Cinema, Eaglehawk.
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Bendigo Cinemas
Over at Bendigo Cinemas: Ryan Gosling in the sci-fi Hail Mary will be good on the big screen, and for the kids: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Disney Pixar’s Hopper are amongst the fare showing in the recently refurbished six cinemas. Bendigo Cinemas is situated just a short walk from the CBD at 107 Queen Street, Bendigo.
The Australian documentary Dance for Your Life (2026) – Ten rising Australian dancers from Brent Street Performing Arts School set their sights on the global stage, travelling to London to audition for Shapehaus Dance Theatre under the watchful eye of choreographer Dean Lee—each vying for a coveted place in the company.
Talking Pictures session led by a Bendigo Art Gallery Guide
If you like your art with a side of conversation—and preferably without someone whispering “I don’t get it” at full volume—this one’s for you.
On the fourth Friday of each month, a Bendigo Art Gallery guide leads a Talking Pictures session: a relaxed, half-hour gathering built around a single artwork. It’s less lecture, more lively exchange—an opportunity to look a little closer, think a little deeper, and hear how others see the same piece entirely differently.
Held at Galkangu’s Yapenya Meeting Room, the sessions draw a mix of curious locals, seasoned gallery-goers, and those who simply enjoy a good chat that doesn’t involve the weather. There’s no cost, no bookings, and no pressure to say anything profound—though someone inevitably will.
When: Every fourth Friday, 10:30am–11:00am Upcoming dates: 24th April, 29th May, 26th June 2026
Where: Galkangu Bendigo GovHub, Yapenya Meeting Room 6 (Ground Floor)
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Great Stupa of Universal Compassion
A slice of the Himalayas in regional Victoria, the Great Stupa is one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the Western world—equal parts spiritual sanctuary and architectural curiosity. Visitors can wander the grounds, explore the Jade Buddha exhibition, or time their visit with the Great Stupa’s festivals and teachings.
Address: 25 Sandhurst Town Rd, Myers Flat VIC
Hours: Wed–Sun 10am–5pm (daily during school holidays)
Peppergreen Farm
Part nursery, part social enterprise, part very good excuse for a coffee—Peppergreen Farm blends gardens, history, and community into a relaxed riverside stop. Expect plants for sale, local produce, and a low-key café vibe. Locals in the know support Peppergreen Farm, and visitors are most welcome.
Address: 40–44 Thunder Street, Bendigo VIC
Hours: Daily 9am–4pm
Central Deborah Gold Mine
Bendigo’s gold rush story goes underground—literally. Don a helmet, descend into the mine, and follow guides into the claustrophobic world that made the city rich. Surface exhibits round out the experience for those who prefer to stay above ground.
Address: 76 Violet St, Bendigo VIC
Hours: Daily 9am–5pm (tours run throughout the day)
Bendigo Tramways
Climb aboard a beautifully restored vintage tram and let Bendigo roll past at a gentler pace. The “Talking Tram” tour loops through key sights with commentary that mixes history, trivia, and local colour. Coffee at The Tram Café while visiting Bendigo Tramways Depot and Workshop.
Package Deal: Vintage Talking Tram Tour and Bendigo Military Museum Entry. Adult $29.50 – Concession $24.50 – Child $20 – Family $80
Address: 1 Tramways Ave, Bendigo VIC
Hours: Daily approx. 9:30am–5pm (regular departures)
Golden Dragon Museum & Chinese Precinct (with adjacent dining)
The Golden Dragon Museum presents Daily Traditions: Chinese Ceramics in 19th and 20th Century Victoria, showcasing a rich collection of late Qing dynasty ceramics, until September. On loan from a private collection, the exhibition offers a glimpse into everyday life and cultural traditions carried to Victoria during the gold rush era.
Home to Bendigo’s rich Chinese heritage, the Golden Dragon Museum houses the famed imperial dragons and anchors a precinct that tells the story of the goldfields’ multicultural roots. Next door, the much-loved world-class Chinese restaurant keeps the tradition alive—best enjoyed after a wander through the exhibits.
Address: 1–11 Bridge St, Bendigo VIC
Hours: Daily 9:30am–5pm
Read about the surprisingly Australian history of Chinese dragon parades. The Golden Dragon Museum has extended opening to show off some incredibly rare and beautiful artefacts. A local’s tip … enjoy an authentic succulent Chinese meal at the Emperor’s Dragon Restaurant, part of the Dragon Museum at 11 Bridge St, Bendigo. Try the Peking Duck and tell them that Iris sent you 😉
Old Sandhurst Gaol tour
The Ulumbarra Theatre tour is an easy yes at $10—a fascinating walk through Bendigo’s past and present in one hit. Set inside the old Sandhurst Gaol, the tour reveals how a 1860s prison has been cleverly transformed into a modern performance space.
Guides bring the place to life with stories of former inmates while showing how the original architecture now blends seamlessly with the theatre’s contemporary design. The tours are conducted on Tuesdays at 2pm (bookings required), and it’s one of those experiences that quietly overdelivers.
Town Folk Festival Returns to Castlemaine
Town Folk Festival 2026 is the little festival with the grand vision: one perfect day in Castlemaine devoted to discovery, community, good food, good company and, most importantly, GREAT SONGS.
Returning on Saturday 21 November 2026, Town Folk has become the day to find your next favourite artist before everyone else catches on. It is contemporary folk with the doors thrown open — a carefully curated musical choose-your-own-adventure where indie, folk, psych, country, soul, slow-core and guitar-pop drift through town like the best kind of rumour.
This year’s lineup includes New Zealand’s singular Aldous Harding, one of the most intriguing and shape-shifting songwriters of her generation, and American singer-songwriter Kevin Morby, whose poetic Midwest folk-rock has made him a cult favourite around the world. They are joined by a rich international and Australian bill including Flyte from the UK, New York songwriter Allegra Krieger, Dutch psych-instrumental outfit YĪN YĪN, Melbourne’s Folk Bitch Trio, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Docker River Band, Darren Hanlon, Emily Lubitz, Jordie Lane, Romy Vager, Snowy Band, Way Dynamic and many more.
The charm of Town Folk is that it never feels like a military operation with wristbands. It is relaxed, walkable and wonderfully human. Performances take place across four unique stages, all close enough to wander between without needing a packed lunch, a compass or festival-level cardio.
The main stage sits on the Sunken Oval, a wide open grassy space where you can settle in with a camping chair or picnic blanket and let the day unfold. The three other stages are only a short walk away — within about 350 metres — at The Bridge Hotel, Shedshaker Taproom and Boomtown Winery. It makes for an accessible, family-friendly festival experience where the next great set is never far away.
Town Folk champions the things that make regional festivals feel special: community, sustainability, camaraderie, local produce and the thrill of stumbling across a song that stops you mid-conversation. You might come for Aldous Harding or Kevin Morby. You might leave talking about someone you had never heard of that morning. That is the real Town Folk magic: a small festival, a big heart, and a town full of music waiting around the next corner.
Got a memory, opinion, or photo to add? The conversation continues in the comments section below, and on the New Bendigonian FB group.
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