southburnett.com.au - What's On In The South Burnett

Heritage Nanango Mardi Gras

The Heritage Nanango Mardi Gras will be held in Nanango's CBD and Pioneer Park today. The Mardi Gras - which at various times in the last 43 years has also been known as the Pioneer Festival and FunFest - will get underway at 7:00am in Pioneer Park with an NaTDA Poet's Breakfast featuring a gold coin donaton sausage sizzle and damper brekkie accompanied by entrants in the George Groves Memorial Poetry Competition and live music by Luke K. Greeen and Brisbane entertainer Tony Foran. From 9:00am to 12:00 noon, the Barkers Creek Bush Band will be providing live music, before a dozen bands take to the Pioneer Park stage between 1:00pm and 8:00pm to provide the afternoon and evening music. At 10:00am at the South Burnett Energy Centre, there'll be a morning tea and book launch; and at 11:00am the King and Queen of the Mountain Footraces will get underway from the corner of Drayton and Fitzroy Steets (you can register there from 10:00am if you want to take part). At 12:30pm things will get underway in earnest when the famous Mardi Gras Street Parade travels up Drayton Street into Fitzroy Street, then turns around and travels back down to Pioneer Park for a full afternoon and evening of revelries. These will include market stalls, street performers, face painting, a Sideshow Alley with amusement rides, workshops, circus acts, sample bag give-aways and monster raffles. The Mardi Gras Princess will be appearing on stage at 7:30pm for the mask judging and raffle draw, and the traditional Giant Fireworks display will occur at 8:00pm. This year the Mardi Gras is an alcohol-free event, but admission to any part of it is either free or by donation and everyone is welcome! More details? Phone (0419) 863-079.

Relay For Life - Kingaroy

The 2012 Relay For Life will be held this weekend at the Kingaroy Showgrounds in Youngman Street, Kingaroy. This is the Cancer Council's major annual fund-raising event in the South Burnett and organisers have set a fund-raising target of $85,000 this year. Thirty teams are taking part. The opening ceremony will be held at 3:00pm with guest speakers, followed by the Survivors and Carers Walk. At 6:00pm, a Candlelight Ceremony organised by St Patrick's School, Nanango, will remember people who have died. The relay will continue all night with live music, entertainment, games and the now iconic "Womanless Beauty Contest". Spectators and supporters are very welcome. For more information, phone Kath on (07) 4690-5805.

Hollywood Illusion Gala Dinner - Kingaroy

A formal attire "Hollywood Illusion Gala Dinner" will be held at Kingaroy Town Hall in Glendon Street, Kingaroy from 5:30pm onwards this evening as a fundraiser for the Kingaroy Kindergarten. The event will feature a three course a-la-carte dinner, entertainment by illusionist Matt Hollywood, dancing, auctions and multi-draw raffles. The dinner is the Kindy's major annual fundraiser and is always very popular. Tickets are $70 per head and can be obtained from Star Tyrepower in Haly Street, Kingaroy or by phoning (07) 4162-1177. Note: The Kindy would also welcome any offers of prizes for the raffles or auctions. If you can help, phone Abigail on (0488) 701-712 or email her.

Kumbia Night Rodeo

The Kumbia Centenary Committee will be holding a Night Rodeo at the Kumbia Sporttsgrounds this evening (and a Junior Rodeo tomorrow). Today's event will get underway at 5:00pm and will feature 4 hours of non-stop rodeo action. There'll also be plenty of food available as well as a bar and BBQ. And after the rodeo concludes at around 9:00pm, popular local performer Ben Spargo will be entertaining until late into the night. Tickets to tonight's rodeo are $15 for adults, $10 for pensioners or high school students, $5 for primary school students or $35 for a family (2 adults, 2 children). And children under 5 are free. A bus will also be running from the Glendon Street bus depot in Kingaroy at 4:15pm. More details? Phone (07) 4164-3128 or (07) 4164-4175.

Saturday Cricket - Murgon and Kingaroy

The South Burnett's 2012-13 cricket season will continue to warm up today with the second round of A and B Grade T20 cricket matches being played in Kingaroy and Murgon. Kingaroy will host this week's B grade matches. The Warriors will play Barambah at Lyle Vidler Oval in Youngman Street at 11:00am, while the Diggers play Nanango at the same time on Field 2. And these two morning matches will be followed at 2:00pm with Kumbia vs Kingaroy RSL. Meanwhile, Murgon will host the day's two A-grade matches at the Murgon Showgrounds in Macalister Street, with Murgon vs Warriors at 11:00am and Nanango vs Kingaroy RSL at 2:00pm. Spectators and supporters are very welcome! UPDATE: The 2:00pm A grade match between Nanango and Kingaroy RSL in Murgon will not be held after Kingaroy RSL forfeited the match on Friday evening due to a shortage of players.

Markets In The Garden - Kumbia

Kumbia's new Markets In The Garden will be held in Bell Street, Kumbia from 7:00am to around 1:00pm today. These markets are now held on the second Saturday of each month and feature fresh fruit and vegies, jewellery, childerens furniture and toys, plants, hairdresser dolls and bears, bric-a-brac and collectables amongst many other things. There's also live music, face painting for children, a variety of free workshops and even a sausage sizzle! New stallholders are also very welcome. More details? Phone Zoe on (07) 4164-4461 or email her.

Seafood Buffet - Murgon

Sakina's Seafood Buffet - which is held on the 2nd Saturday of each month - will be running at the Saleyard Cafe on Gayndah Road at Murgon at 6:30pm this evening. This BYO buffet offers everything from fresh oysters to Moreton Bay bugs, crabs, prawns and cooked seafoods, but bookings are essential if you want to be sure of a seat: (07) 4168-5701.

Bowls Club Bingo - Kingaroy

The Kingaroy Bowling Club at 141 Youngman St, Kingaroy will be running bingo matches from 7:30pm this evening with over $1000 in prizes on offer. More details from the club on (07) 4162-1404

Miss Country Girl Australia Heat 2 & Final - Kingaroy

The second local heat of the Miss Country Girl Australia modelling pageant will be held at Kingaroy Shoppingworld at 10:00am this morning (the first heat was held on Thursday night). This will be followed by the finals at 11:30am. You can read more about this pageant on this page of our website.

What's On At The Wineries This Weekend

The South Burnett's wineries and cellar doors will all be open this weekend if you want to relax in their cafes and/or taste their wines. The South Burnett is now the largest wine region in Queensland and (excluding the Granite Belt) larger than all the State's other wine regions put together. You can find out what our wineries' opening hours are this weekend, the individual facilities that each one offers and news about any special events they might also be running on South Burnett Wine

Just 2 Hot - Kingaroy

Entertainers Just 2 Hot will be performing at the Kingaroy RSL in Kingaroy Street, Kingaroy from 7:30pm to 11:30pm this evening. Admission is free. More details? Phone the RSL on (07) 4162-1755

Dance - Booie Hall

A dance will be held at Booie Hall from 8:00pm until around 12:00pm this evening. Music will be supplied by Jus' Dancin' and there'll be the usual great supper, novelties and lucky door prize. Admission is $10 for adults or $5 for high school students and everyone is welcome! More details? Phone Verity on (0405) 260-689.

Yarraman Markets - Yarraman

The Yarraman Progress Association's monthly Yarraman Markets will be held at Errol Munt Oval in Yarraman from 7:00am until around 1:00pm today. The markets feature trash and treasure stalls, car boot sellers, local produce and hand-made goods, as well as food stalls and an under-cover play area for children. Everyone is welcome and if you'd like to book a stall yourself - it's only $5! - call Joe on (0459) 638-282