What’s On // Your Guide To Living Your Best Life In The Illawarra In July
Must Do’s, Don’t Miss Outs + You’re Nuts If You Don’t Go…
This fabulous round-up is kindly brought to you by Wests Illawarra
We may have reached the mid-way mark in winter, but July is set to be anything but ‘mid’ here in the Illawarra.
We’ve got events on events on events this month, and picking our favourites was nearly impossible… Honestly, we’re still struggling!
Here’s a taste of all the good times happening around town this month.
And you can head to our Event Directory as well, for a super-long list of great events to keep us going all month long.
SOCCER IT TO ME // UEFA Euro Cup 2024
It’s that time of year when all the soccer/football [whatever you wanna call it] fans stay up to all hours of the night cheering on their fave team. Wests Illawarra will be screening games at 11pm, 2am + 5am and for every $5 spent you will receive 1 entry in the draw to win a $50 rebel voucher.
FLOWER POWER // Wreath Making Workshop
Get creative by designing and building your very own dried floral wreath at Twig & Bo Florist in Woonona. If we can’t have pretty spring flowers outside in our gardens then we might as well have some beautiful dried ones inside our homes, right?
RUN AWAY // Your Local Run Club
Get those muscles moving and maybe make some new friends with this social run club in Shellharbour. Join every Wednesday morning, there’s no pressure on time, pace or distance and everybody is welcome.
HOLIDAY CELEBRATE // School Holidays
July is also school holiday time…. Yay! We’ve rounded up a bunch of fun-filled school holiday ideas to keep your kiddos entertained and you away from that fourth cup of coffee. Have a peep here.
JINGLE BELLS // Christmas in July at The Lodge
Christmas is the holiday that’s so nice, we want to celebrate it twice. And that’s what we plan to do at The Lodge in Jamberoo’s joyful shared feast. And don’t forget to check out all the other merry-full Christmas in July events happening around town here.
LOTS OF LOLS // Teacher Comedy Night
Teachers, if you’re craving a good giggle, or even if you’re not a teacher but just want to join in the hilarity, snag your tickets for this comedy show. Ex-high school teacher Daniel Delby is spilling all the relatable and outrageous tales from the trenches of teaching. It sounds like a laugh riot!
SEW GOOD // ‘a tablecloth and three chairs’ Sewing Circle with Michele Elliot
This actually sounds sew good [sorry not sorry]. Artist Michele Elliot will be in the “What is Held, is Here” exhibition space at Wollongong Art Gallery and welcomes the community to join her for some stitching and conversation. Each week, Michele will kick off the sewing circle by discussing one of her exhibition pieces.
TAKE TIME TO TALK // Tall Tales: The Man Walk
This new library program is aimed at encouraging men in the Illawarra to meet local social organisations and speakers. July’s session features Mark Burns, founder of The Man Walk, discussing how this group helps men walk, talk, and support each other.
Cosy up at Ain’t Nonna’s every Wednesday and Thursday from 5-6pm through winter for a selection of wines and tasty aperitivo. If you’re not one of the lucky ones jetting off to a European summer, maybe this is the next best thing.
READ ALL ABOUT IT // Kiama Reader’s Festival
More than a dozen authors will be making their way to Kiama for this festival that celebrates all things reading. Four fab venues around town will be opening their doors for bibliophiles to flock in for talking and learning.
ART MOMENT // Create & Connect Workshop
Join the fabulous Jaqueline Burgess for a fun mini-retreat where you can paint watercolour postcards in a chill space. It’s all about you, your well-being, and your inner artist. Leave feeling refreshed and with some colourful masterpieces to share or keep.
Love gin? Love food? Then make sure to book a table for this exciting-sounding Gin Night at Palisade Kitchen & Bar. 5 courses all paired with Four Pillars Gin as well as live music and a lucky door prize- so good!
BOOT SCOOTIN // Country Night at Plough & Ale
Don your boots and hat, we’re having a hoedown. There’ll be country music, line dancing, growler specials and tasty Texan-style BBQ ribs. Yee haw!
RUG UP // Kiama Winter Street Festival
It seems Kiama is the place to be in July with another awesome festival happening there this month. This year’s Winter Festival will take place along Terralong Street and will be filled with fun stalls, music, workshops, entertainment and plenty of wintery fun.
This incredible new creative space is doing exciting things in Port Kembla. Check out one of their many workshops for both adults and kids and keep an eye out for their super cool events. From clothes swaps to carving there’s so much going on here.
SELF CARE // Winter Wellness Retreat
Ladies are invited to this one-day self-care retreat near Berry. Expect a day of cacao ceremonies, Reiki healing, yoga, and meditation, all designed to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. Munch on delicious treats and take home a self-care gift bag.
FREE FLIX // NAIDOC Week Movie Screening
Kick back, relax, and enjoy a free family-friendly movie at Shellharbour City Library. There’ll also be snacks and drinks, but feel free to bring your own as well. The movie is rated PG so kiddos must be with a parent or carer.
SHADES OF GRAY // Macy Gray at Anita’s Theatre
Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Macy Gray’s breakout debut, “On How Life Is,” released in 1999. [Yes, 1999 was 25 years ago… nobody panic]. At this stage, tickets are still available but we’re not sure for how much longer so grab yours quickly.
ALL THE TRIMMINGS // Winter Roast & Picnic
On Sundays, the 7th, 14th and 21st Diggies in Kiama will be serving up a hearty roast dinner. To accompany your feast there’ll also be music in the courtyard, lawn games, tennis, and Winter Sundowners drink specials.
PARTY TIME // Bollywood Masquerade Party
Prepare for a night of glamour and mystique at the UOW UniBar! How exciting does a Bollywood Masquerade Party sound? Get ready to dance the night away to the DJ, and don’t forget to dress to impress.
LAUGH NIGHT // Mel Buttle – Not Here To Put Socks On Centipedes
Everyone’s favourite TikTok mum Mel Buttle is bringing her show to the IPAC on the 5th. With Mel’s unpredictable and hilarious nature, we’re not sure exactly what to expect but whatever it is we’re sure it’ll be a hoot!
BARGAIN READS // Winter Book Sale
All Wollongong City Libraries are clearing the shelves and putting a whole lotta books up for sale. With all books priced at just 50c, this is one epic way to stock up your winter reading collection.
COMEDY CLASSIC // Michael Hing – LIVE
Since leaving Triple J and joining The Project, he’s got plenty to catch you up on. Expect an hour of jokes and stories forbidden by producers and censors, but too good to waste. Tickets are available but we’re not sure for how long.
TAKE TIME // Sound & Yin I Refuge & Rest
Join Limber Co for a peaceful evening in their ‘rest temple’. Experience yin yoga, embodiment techniques, reflection, and a soothing sound bath to recharge your mind and body. No experience needed, perfect for slowing down and reconnecting with yourself during these colder months.
We are in for a jubilant July!
For more event inspiration, dive into our Events Directory. And hey, while you’re out enjoying the fun, remember to show some love to our local shops, as well as food and beverage outlets!
A special thanks to our sponsors
Wests Illawarra is a fantastic venue to enjoy a day or night out with friends & family with a variety of entertainment and great dining facilities!
Enjoy a delicious meal, catch the game on the big screen, meet up with mates, and celebrate milestones. Discover the many spaces and find your moment at Wests Illawarra.
Love live music? Wests Illawarra has a brand-new live entertainment schedule. From Jazz Night to Karaoke, there’s something fun for everyone! Local musicians perform live every weekend, so get amongst it!
If you’re celebrating a special occasion, let the friendly and professional team at Wests Illawarra organise your next momentous event allowing you to relax and celebrate in style.
From birthdays and engagements to social parties and presentation nights the facilities and experienced planning at Wests Illawarra can ensure your guests are set for a fun and memorable experience. Their diverse and flexible event packages offer a whole range of additional options from decorations, music to entertainment.
Wests Illawarra is big on supporting charities, sporting clubs and our local community. The team believe that the strength of a community is measured by how we support one another and that through their commitment to social responsibility, they have formed meaningful partnerships with exceptional charitable organisations, provided ongoing support to local sporting teams and built a thriving community of loyal Members, which they’re extremely proud of.
Join Wests Illawarra today and enjoy the incredible Wests Illawarra Rewards benefits.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
This article features friends and advertisers of The Fold Media.
We strongly believe in the businesses and information we share with you on The Fold and we fully endorse the content we create and share.
We’re excited to share the amazing stories and adventures of our local businesses, and it is our sincere hope is that it helps create more awareness for these local businesses, helps keep them top of mind when locals and visitors next need their products or service, and most of all, contributes to creating a strong and thriving local community and economy.
We are so grateful to the local businesses who choose to work with The Fold Media. Without their belief and support in what we do, we wouldn’t be able to keep doing what it is that we love to do. Which is to create and share information about people, places and businesses in our wonderful region. We want to help everyone #LoveLivingLocal and make the most of this wonderful place we are lucky enough to call home.
And to you, our readers? We want to say a big THANK YOU to you. Firstly for taking the time to read this article, but also for supporting local businesses in general, as well as our sponsors who help make The Fold Media possible.
Together, let’s continue to support our local business community, in turn supporting their team, and our wonderful community overall. So let’s all choose local, whenever we possibly can.
