Local Bluegrass group The Wilson Pickers.

If you’re one of the unlucky ones that left your run to buy a Byron Bay Writers’ Festival ticket too late, don’t despair – there’s plenty on this weekend – and  a veritable smorgasboard of events during August.

The Bangalow BBQ & Bluegrass Festival only started last year, but it was a crowd-pleaser from the start, and so it’s not surprising to see that it’s already grown, with a great line-up of musos and bands from far and near, including The Wilson Pickers, The Company and Green Mohair Suits. It’s on today, Saturday August 8 at the Bangalow Showgrounds from 10.o0 am, and tickets are available at the gate.  Kids under 18 are free, which makes it a cheap family day out.  Great food, great music, great weather…enjoy.

In the meantime, if the white noise of writers and music gets too much, up at Tweed Heads, there’s the 17th Tweed Antiques and Collectables Fair, which runs all day on August 8 and 9, at the Tweed Heads Civic Centre, Brett Street, Tweed Heads.  You never know, you might just pick up a bargain…and be back in the Shire in time for the next session.

Next weekend – August 14 – 16, the hills are alive with a different sound of music with the Bangalow Music Festival for 2015.  The Festival is celebrating its 14th year, and it’s 20 years since Creative Director Tania Frazer started the highly successful Southern Cross Soloists chamber music ensemble.  This year’s festival explores the connections between past and present – and celebrates the promise of a bright future. Artists appearing include Piers Lane, Karin Schaupp and William Barton, as well as members of Southern Cross Soloists – and international visitor, UK conductor Rainer Hersch.  The Festival kicks off on Thursday night, August 13, with the Festival Prelude at the A&I Hall.

Comic and musician Rainer Hersch brings his one-man show to the Byron at Byron for the Bangalow Music Festival.

Tickets range from the Platinum Subscription of $450pp to single concert tickets for $55 – try your luck at the A&I Hall next weekend call Southern Cross Soloists on 07 3833 7260 or email [email protected] or visit www.southernxsoloists.com

Suvira McDonald’s ‘Lost River’.

If you’re in town for the Music Festival, take a little time out to follow this year’s North Coast Mud Trail, and unearth your local potter – or even perhaps, your inner potter.  Visit 10 studio potters in nine beautiful Northern Rivers locations, catch a workshop, demonstration or artist talk – and buy your first Christmas presents.

Potters include the incredibly talented multi-disciplinary arts practitioner Suvira McDonald who is throwing open his Federal studio; the dynamic duo of ceramcists Karen Jennings and Jenn Johnston at their Tooheys Mill Road studio in leafy Fernleigh; the brilliantly minimalist work of John Stewart at his studio near Clunes and the 2012 winner of the $10,000 Townsville Ceramic Award, Catherine Lane, whose luminous pieces are bsed on a practice grounded in the Japanese ‘mingei’ tradition.

For enquiries call Suvira McDonald on 02 6684 9194 and for a list of Australian Ceramics Open Studios go to: www.australianceramics.com

Karen Jennings and Jenn Johnston at the Tooheys Mill Pottery.

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