One of the things I love most about living in the Central West is that there is always something happening.
From markets and festivals to community fundraisers, sporting events, business breakfasts and live music, there is no shortage of opportunities to get out, meet people and enjoy everything our region has to offer. The challenge isn’t finding something to do—it’s finding enough weekends in the year to fit it all in.
Last Friday night, I enjoyed one of those opportunities when I headed to Zig Zag Brewery at The Foundations in Portland for their 90s Music Bingo night. Joined by some of my favourite friends and my Mum, Lyn, it was a wonderful excuse to put work aside for a few hours and simply have some fun.
Embracing the theme, I dusted off my best 90s attire and channelled Courtney Love from the rock band Hole. While Mum’s reputation as our family’s Bingo Queen remained intact, neither of us managed to claim victory on the bingo front. We did, however, take home one of the prizes for Best Dressed, which was a fun and unexpected bonus.
What struck me most wasn’t the bingo itself, but the number of people who had made the effort to come along. There were groups of friends, couples and families all enjoying a night out together. In an era where so much of our lives happens online, there is something incredibly valuable about gathering in person, sharing a laugh and supporting local venues and events.
The Foundations continues to evolve as an important destination for our region, drawing visitors from across the Central West and providing unique experiences right here on our doorstep. Events like Music Bingo might seem simple, but they play an important role in creating connections and bringing people together.
As we head into winter, our community calendar is filling quickly. From the Portland Twilight Market and Bathurst Rail 150 celebrations this long weekend, the upcoming Winter Solstice event, Newbridge, to the business networking opportunities, markets and community gatherings, there is plenty to look forward to across our four LGAs. It was also exciting to be at the recent announcement that the much-loved Bathurst Winter Festival will return this July in a new home at the Bathurst Showground. The festival has become a highlight of the Central West winter calendar over the past decade, and it’s wonderful to see it continue in a fresh format that will once again bring visitors, families and businesses together during the school holidays.
My encouragement this fortnight is simple: pick an event, buy a ticket, invite a friend and go along. You never know who you’ll meet, what you’ll learn or what memories you’ll create. Supporting local events helps strengthen our communities—and as Friday night reminded me, it’s also a lot of fun.
