OUR PICK: Robertson Springtime Open Garden

Enjoy spring in all its glory at an open garden this weekend.

Take a stroll through beautiful gardens ranging from smaller town gardens to large country gardens. Eight Robertson residents 

are opening their gardens to the public for this annual event, including five that are being opened for the first time,  two of 

which have large country gardens with wonderful rural vistas.  Tickets are $5per garden or $20 for all the gardens and are available from Robertson Community Technology Centre (main road opposite Murray tractors) or at each garden.

 Details here.

OUT & ABOUT

Illawarra Memory Walk and Jog, Sunday

Raising money for dementia support services in the Illawarra. From 8.30am at Stuart Park, North Wollongong. Details here or 8875 4626.

Love It, Buy It, Grow It, Wednesday, October 16

A workshop at the Botanic Garden Discovery Centre. Learn tips for making great meals with leftovers and how to store them. Cost is $9 per person, bookings essential on 4227 7667, or email botanicgarden@wollongong.nsw.gov.au.

Niteworks, Saturday

An all-night celebration of the dark. Bundanon will come alive with site-specific artworks created  to be appreciated at night, along with astronomy, star gazing, campfires, moon cycles, nocturnal animals, Indigenous cosmology and UFOs. Camping sites are open to the public at $25 per tent. Bundanon, 170 Riversdale Road, West Cambewarra (near Nowra). Details here.

Monster trucks, Saturday

One of the monster trucks, known as Grave Digger, will be visiting Wollongong on Saturday.  The truck, and driver Dan Evans, will be in lower Crown Street Mall from 11am to 2pm.

ART

Art on the Grass, Saturday

Free painting for kids. Try  the billy carts, see how art is made or join in crafts. Red Point artists, 100 Wentworth Street, Port Kembla, 10am-1pm.

Still Life, Moving Fragments, until October 17

A collaborative screen installation by Louise Curham and Jo Law. It draws upon the tension between stillness and movement to sustain a dialogue between still images and their moving forms. FCA Gallery, Building 25, University of Wollongong.

Landlubber, Saturday until October 21

A new show from Thirroul artist Matt Bromhead which features new paintings and sculptures. Clifton School of Arts, 338 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, 2pm-6pm.

MUSIC

Charlie A'Court, Saturday  

Canadian bluesman Charlie A’Court returns with his electric and acoustic mix of guitar riffs, booming vocals and soaring melodies. This show includes Australian blues guitarists Dave Hole and Pete Cornelius. Heritage Hotel, Bulli. Details here.

Claude Hay, Sunday

Hailing from the Blue Mountains, solo artist Claude Hay blends slide guitar, sitar, bass and drums to create music that invokes the best of stomping traditional blues, hard rock and booty-shaking funk. Towradgi Beach Hotel. Details here.

Click here for the Illawarra gig guide.

THEATRE

Flamenco Fire - Al-Andaluz, Saturday and Sunday

 Al-Andaluz traces flamenco from the 15th century to its golden age in 19th century Seville, capturing the exotic clash of cultures that formed the foundation of the art form. Details here.

Don't Dress For Dinner, Saturday and Sunday

A madcap farce set in a country house where a man’s plans for a weekend with his mistress are thrown into disarray when his wife shows up – with her lover. Harbour Theatre. Tickets: 4297 2891.

The Skriker, Saturday and Sunday

The story of an ancient shape-shifting demon and its delirious pursuit of two contemporary teenage mothers. Performance Space, Creative Arts Building 25.168, UOW. Tickets: 4221 3996.

TALKS

Illawarra Remembers, Monday, October 14 

Historian Kim Phillips will be guest speaker as part of the Illawarra Remembers Project and will talk about her project Spirits of Gallipoli – Then and Now. Wollongong Library ground floor theatrette. Bookings: 4227 7414.

Writing workshop, Wednesday, October 16

ABC Illawarra Open producer Sean O’Brien  presents a writing workshop and  discusses how to share stories through the ABC Open Project. Shellharbour City Library.  Free, 10am start. Details: 4256 2001.