UPFRONT | WHAT’S ON

Our guide to the best celebrations, holidays and festivals in Australia and New Zealand this month eventsthisMayunmissable

26 APRIL – 3 MAY Tasting Australia Adelaide, South Australia Gargantuan food festival Tasting Australia takes place every two years in Adelaide and the surrounding region of South Australia. Epicureans from far and wide savour the best meals Australian chefs have to offer the culinary world. Well-known chefs and wine connoisseurs take part in a mouthwatering programme of demos, workshops and lectures. www.tasting-australia.com.au th e ri m a g e s:S h u t te r s to c k

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22-27 MAY

St Kilda Film Festival Melbourne, Victoria

St Kilda, a vibrant area on Port Phillip Bay, south of Melbourne, hosts Australia’s longestrunning festival of short films. There is also an emphasis on music video and a selection of international short films are shown, with major prize money up for grabs. www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au

3-6 MAY Middle Eastern Dance Sydney, New South Wales The annual Sydney Middle Eastern Dance Festival is Australia’s most popular belly dance event. It is the highlight of the year for belly dancers throughout the country. The Festival consists of dance and drumming workshops taught by Australia’s best teachers and international guests, and lots of performances. www.sydmedfest.com Wo rd s:L

18-20 MAY Ipswich Show Brisbane, Queensland Ipswich Show is a country-style fair south-west of Brisbane, offering a traditional variety of produce and livestock, as well as arts and crafts. The primary activities at the show are the exhibition of horses and cattle, as well as alpacas, goats, poultry, waterfowl and pigeons. There is plenty of locallysourced wine and beer on sale too. www.ipswichshow.com.au

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25 MAY – 11 JUNE Vivid Sydney Sydney, New South Wales Vivid Sydney brings splashes of light, colour and music to this vibrant city with an extensive programme ranging from music concerts at the Sydney Opera House to light sculptures dotted around the harbour. The festival kicks off with Lighting the Sails, which transforms the Opera House’s iconic sails into a display of light and colour. vividlive.sydneyoperahouse.com

27 APRIL – 19 MAY NZ Comedy Festival Auckland, New Zealand NZ International Comedy Festival draws big names from both home and abroad for its duration. The opening of the festival is the televised Gala, a showcase of performances by the top local and international comedians appearing in the festival. Past hosts of the gala have included Patrick Kielty and Bill Bailey. www.comedyfestival.co.nz

30 APRIL – 4 MAY Fashion Week Sydney, New South Wales Australian Fashion Week features a large buyers’ exhibition in addition to the catwalk shows. The event is held at Sydney Harbour’s Circular Quay and is the nation’s premier event for the fashion industry. The event is an important opportunity for up-andcoming Asia Pacific designers to be spotted by buyers and journalists. rafw.com.au th e ri m a g e s:S h u t te r s to c k l d sO

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6 MAY Creamfields Gold Coast, Queensland Lovers of house, club and electronic music head for Gold Coast Parklands as Creamfields, now in its third year, makes a triumphant return to Australia. Headliners confirmed for this popular dance music event this year include David Guetta, who is riding the wave of success following the release of his fifth album Nothing But The Beat. creamfields.com.au

12 MAY Cairns Blues Festival Cairns, Queensland The annual Cairns Blues Festival returns to Fogarty Park on Cairns Esplanade. Two stages host music from over 20 acts and there’s plenty of food, family fun and stalls to enjoy. This is an exciting event jam-packed with a musical blend of good old blues, rags, gospel and hillbilly folk. Visitors can expect to see over 15 acts in 10 hours. www.cairnsbluesfestival.com.au

11-13 MAY The Food Show Wellington, New Zealand The Food Show at Westpac Stadium offers a variety of the finest wines, food and produce from New Zealand and abroad. More than 40,000 visitors come to experience first-hand the latest and most delicious edibles, test-drive innovative new devices, and witness world-class demonstrations from celebrity chefs. www.foodshow.co.nz www.getmedownunder.com

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