From a free street arts festival to twilight food markets, here are eight ways to beat boredom in the Illawarra in the final week of the April school holidays ...
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1. HIT THE MARKETS
There's plenty of market action around the traps this week - Puckeys night market, Wednesday, 4pm-9pm; Berry Farmers Markets, Thursday, 3pm-6pm; Eat Street Bulli, Friday, 5pm-10pm; Coledale Markets, Sunday, 9am-3pm; and Dapto Showground Markets, Sunday, 7am-1pm.
2. SEE A FESTIVAL
Head to KISS Arts Festival - Kiama's fun and free street arts festival at Black Beach - this Friday to Sunday for live music, sketch comedy, circus acts, lantern making, bubble shows, rafts races - and a ghost tour around the harbour. Elsewhere, Wollongong's Spiegeltent will host acrobatic circus troupe Circa in Wolfgang's Magical Musical Circus.
3. GET BACK TO NATURE
Take a drive to the Southern Highlands for a bushwalk to little-known Fairy Bower Falls, historical Erith Coal Mine trail, beautiful Nellies Glen picnic area and cascades, or the magical Illawarra Fly (fairies are back these school holidays). There's also the magnificent Belmore, Fitzroy and Carrington Falls to choose from.
4. GO TO THE MOVIES
These school holidays, it's all about Avengers: Endgame, with the much-anticipated franchise finale playing almost on the hour at cinemas around the region. Other child-friendly titles include Shazam!, Dumbo, Wonder Park, Lego Movie 2 and Captain Marvel. Check session times at Wollongong, Warrawong Hoyts, Warrawong Gala and Shellharbour.
5. TAKE AN ART CLASS
For kids looking to express themselves creatively: paint ceramic moulds in one workshop, or make with clay and glaze over two workshops at Black Duck Ceramics; take a soft pastel drawing class with Violetta Strabic at Coniston Beach on Saturday; or select a class from the holiday art program at Da Vinci Art Studio.
6. ATTEND A DAWN SERVICE
Get the kids up early to gather in the pre-dawn darkness on Anzac Day - they will remember the Australians who served and died in war, experience the haunting beauty of the Last Post and watch the sun rise. Find a service near you in Wollongong, Shellharbour or Kiama.
7. BE A TOURIST
Take a guided tour through the working hangars of HARS Aviation Museum, visit Nan Tien Buddhist Temple in Berkeley, experience the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Helensburgh, ride miniature trains at Illawarra Light Railway or Illawarra Live Steamers, enjoy the interactive exhibits at Science Space or go behind the scenes at Symbio Zoo.
8. GET ACTIVE
Get the kids out of the house - and off their devices - with the promise of roller skating at District Skate in Oak Flats, rock climbing at Hangdog, bouldering at Dynomite Indoor Gym or horse riding at Darkes Forest Riding Ranch