We’re spoilt for choice with what’s on this week in Perth. Start the week by celebrating what it means to be woman at an International Women’s Day event or learn the art of mindfulness at a full-day holistic wellbeing expo. End it on a lighter note with a night out with funny man Arj Barker.
Here’s what’s happening in our city over the next seven days.
Tuesday, March 7th
International Women’s Day – Sip & Paint
In a special International Women’s Day edition of sip and paint, channel femininity as you express the beauty of the female form on canvas. Even people who’ve never painted before are encouraged to join, as an experienced artist will fully guide you and provide you with all the tools you need to bring your masterpiece to life. Tickets also include a glass of wine and a grazing board — the perfect creative fuel.
Wednesday, March 8th
International Women’s Day
Officially in its 48th year, this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet. Perth will play host to a wide range of events paying homage to the day and bringing to light the wider societal issues of gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. Sit in on an impassioned talk by thought-provoking female leaders, or find inspiration in a room full of like-minded people at an early morning breakfast.
More information on some of the IWD events can be found here.
Healthy You Holistic Wellbeing Expo
In an increasingly busy and stressful world, if there’s one thing we can do for ourselves, it’s to nurture our minds and bodies. The free Healthy You Holistic Wellbeing Expo is the perfect place to explore how to live a holistically healthier and happier lifestyle.
Trial different mechanisms for destressing at yoga, meditation, and breathwork workshops, or work towards building a stronger you with some lessons in resilience. During lunch, join a discussion panel on managing stress and avoiding burnout, and participate in a Noongar Welcome to Country. After, line up to get your free neck and shoulder massage from a certified therapist. Local health and wellbeing companies will be set up in the courtyard between 55 St Georges Tce and the Exchange Tower, too, giving you insight into the services they offer.
Further details and information regarding the expo can be found here. Register for your free ticket here.
Friday, March 10th
WA Para Sport Festival
Yagan Square will come alive when members of the state’s wheelchair AFL and basketball teams showcase their sports at the Rebound WA Para Sport Festival. They’re not the only sport and recreation options on show, though; there’ll be representatives from para-sporting organisations like Paralympics Australia, Blind Sports WA, and Western Electric Sporting Association there, too.
Whether you’re searching for an inclusive team to join or simply want to learn more about the sports and find a new team to support, it will be a fun day out for all.
Fremantle Boat and Seafood Festival
While the sun is still shining, spend a leisurely day in Fremantle admiring flash vessels and tucking into fresh seafood at this weekend’s Fremantle Boat and Seafood Festival. Some of the finest big boats will be on display — think European super yacht style — as well as a range of more modest, trailer-able boats.
Anglers can head to the dedicated Fishing Zone to discover the latest and greatest in fishing tackle and boating accessories, while home cooks can learn a trick or two about barbecuing seafood with celebrity chef Bart Beek.
2023 West Coast Pinball Festival
Prepare yourself for the sound of nostalgia at the West Coast Pinball Festival. Held over three days at the Belmont Park Racecourse, the festival brings together thousands of retro game lovers under one roof.
More than 100 pinball machines will be on display and ready to play, some from as early as the 1960s. Play for fun, or enter yourself in one of the many competitions and tournaments running across the weekend — there are some fantastic prizes up for grabs. If you’re in the market for your very own pinball machine, there’s no better showcase than the festival, with plenty of distributors and private collectors around to guide you.
The Best of Arj Barker
Laugh until you cry at Perth-regular and much-loved Canadian comedian Arj Barker’s new show. He’s bringing some of his catalogue material, new material, and a hint of improv to the Regal Theatre stage for three nights only — Friday, March 10th and Saturday, March 11th.
Saturday, March 11th
William Street Long Table Lunch
Experience Northbridge as you’ve never experienced it before at the William Street Long Table Lunch. A section of the entertainment district will be completely shut down to host a huge collaborative lunch, highlighting the very best of Northbridge. There’ll be modern Indian fare from Sauma, Mediterranean from Bivouac, and Italian from Francoforte, amongst much more.
Tickets to the event include an Aperol Spritz on arrival, a shared dining experience at the long table, and entertainment from prominent WA jazz artists, the Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group, the Jess Carlton Duo, and the Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble.
After lunch, the William Street block party starts with more live music from WA talent before ‘kick ons’ until the wee hours in The Bird and Ezra Pound car parks. There, you’ll be hearing from the likes of Gracie Sanders, Joan & The Giants, and more.
Coogee Live
Music, food, and entertainment abound at the weekend-long Coogee Live. It’s a bumper festival with over 180 activations spread over 1.5 kilometres of the coast from North Coogee to Coogee Beach Reserve. It’s virtually impossible not to find something up your alley. Learn new skills in the kitchen with cooking demonstrations, watch merpeople swimming around at The Great Mermaid Migration, or bop along to the VisAbility band Grand Delusions and an ensemble from Perth Symphony Orchestra.
Piazza in the Park
Immerse yourself in Mediterranean culture at Subi Spritz’s Family Day at Theatre Gardens. It’s fun for the whole famiglia.
Kids can get creative at the Subiaco Library’s story-writing, library badge-making, and storytelling workshops while you learn the art of pasta-making with The Little Italian School. Or, do as the French do and learn the game of pétanque (a ball sport similar to bocce) with the experts from the Pétanque Club.
Of course, there’ll be plenty of family-friendly food and beverage options to sustain you, too; coffee for a parental pick-me-up, ice cream for the little ones, and paella for all.
Sunday, March 12th
Perth City Community Bike Festival
Embrace all things bikes at the Community Bike Festival, a part of the wider Perth City Criterium Championship. Held on Parker Street from 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm, there’ll be a DJ spinning tunes, plenty of bicycle-themed stalls, and free BMX and mountain bike jumping coaching sessions run by the team at Freestyle Now.
The main event is the championship, where riders of all ages take on the lightning-quick 900-metre circuit around Russell Square, racing for the title of Perth City Criterium Champion and $15,000 in prizes. At 3.50pm — right before the elite men’s and women’s categories race — there’ll be a chance for the community to ride, scoot, or skate around the closed-off route, too.
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Lead image: Atmosphere1
