The North East Canoe Club will host its first Friends of the Upper King River environmental participation weekend on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September.

The weekend will include a tree planting day, the 2026 World Tour Paddling Film Festival at Cheshunt Hall, and a community paddle on the King River.

The club says the Upper King River is an important catchment for farming, recreation, drinking water, irrigation, native vegetation and wildlife.

The river also attracts whitewater kayakers, adventure groups, fishers and sightseers, with the club estimating more than 10,000 kayak and rafting trips are held on the river each year.

The idea for the weekend came from the club’s involvement in a North East Catchment Management Authority working group focused on developing greater stewardship of the river.

The tree planting day will begin at 10.30am on Saturday 5 September at Cheshunt Community Hall.

That evening, woodfired pizza and craft beer will be available from 5.30pm before the Paddling Film Festival starts at 7pm at Cheshunt Hall.

The festival will showcase paddling, adventure and wilderness films, and the club says the evening will include dinner, drinks, prizes and giveaways.

On Sunday 6 September, the club will host a community paddle down the whitewater section of the King River.

Participants will meet at 10.30am at the Dam Wall Carpark below Lake William Hovell.

A limited number of raft places will be available with experienced river guides for people without paddling experience, to grab your spot email necanoeclub@gmail.com.

Early bird tickets are available until July 31.

For tickets and more information, visit https://events.humanitix.com/north-east-canoe-club-paddling-film-festival.

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What's On In brief

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Community Dance Around on Friday

Dust off your dancing shoes and join a lively night of country-style fun at the Community Dance Around on Friday 10 July from 7pm to 10pm at Whorouly Library Hall with a donation entry of $10 for a family and $5 for an individual.

The evening is open to all ages and experience levels, with live music by Bally Kiel, a friendly atmosphere and even a lucky door prize.

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Aussie family drama at The Stage Door

The Wangaratta Players Theatre Company is set to perform ‘When the Rain Stops Falling’, an epic play which runs intersecting story lines of one family from 1958-2039 in a stylised drama, on 10 and 11 July at The Stage Door in Evans Street.

Set in Alice Springs, the story follows present day Gabriel York and his grandfather 80 years ago, Henry Law, who insightfully predicted that fish would fall from the sky, foreshadowing the overwhelming flood to come.

For more information head to the Wangaratta Players Inc. website, wangarattaplayers.org.au.

Tickets on sale now at https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1524320.

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Hughesy is cooking up comedy

Comedian Dave Hughes is gearing up to bring his stand-up show, ‘Cooked’, to Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre on Saturday 18 July at 7pm.

Known for his comical take on the world and appearances on ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here’ and ‘Taskmaster Australia’, Dave is now touring the country.

Audiences can expect a good time, a night of laughs and brutally honest tales of his experience on the football field.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.wpacc.com.au.

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‘Halos in the Shadows’ exhibition

Wangaratta artist Joel Stevens presents his debut exhibition ‘Halos in the Shadows’ at the Wangaratta Art Gallery until 2 September.

The exhibition was created as a tribute to the family members who have stood beside him through two decades of living with mental ill health.

Each work reflects on a particular relationship, acknowledging the quiet strength and enduring care that have shaped his journey toward wellness.

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Winton Festival of Speed 2026

Tickets are on sale for the Winton Festival of Speed 2026, with more than 300 historically significant race cars expected to front at the rural circuit from 24 to 26 July.

Confirmed categories appearing at WFOS26 are Group N Historic Touring Cars (Under and Over 2 Litre), Heritage Touring Cars including Groups C & A, Group S Sports Cars, Formula Ford, MGs and Invited British, Alfa Romeo Racing, Porsche 944 Challenge and BMW E30 Racing.

Additionally, Super Sprint classes have been expanded inviting 5 Litre Touring Cars, V8Brutes, Auscars, GT Cars up to 2010, Touring Car Tributes and Touring Car Legends, while facilitating the inaugural running of The Fitzy Cup, a Porsche-focused category celebrating the legacy of Peter Fitzgerald.

Entries are also open, and all interested competitors with an eligible vehicle are encouraged to register via Motorsport Australia Event Entry.

Tickets are available via Humanitix, with single-day general admission passes available from $30.

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The Victorian State Ballet presents Aladdin

Aladdin and his adventures are set to come to life at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre on Saturday 25 July at 7.30pm in a brilliant ballet production and splendour of lush costumes, breathtaking music and beautiful choreography.

A wonderful story of intense love, burning passion, and bold expression full of fantasy and tragedy.

Created by Michelle Cassar de Sierra and Martin Sierra for the Victorian State Ballet, this production promises to become a favourite with Australian audiences.

Tickets are available at www.wpacc.com.au/.

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‘Nothing is certain, said The Curtain’ exhibition

Ali Noble's new exhibition 'Nothing is certain, said The Curtain' reimagines the legacy of modernist designer Lilly Reich, whose use of curtains disrupted the fixed boundaries of Modernism.

By reconfiguring Reich’s curtains and furniture, artist Ali reflects on Reich’s legacy of playful and innovative design, a tribute to her overlooked contribution.

Visit Wangaratta Art Gallery to view Ali’s exhibition before 16 August.

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Exhibition showcases textile in small scale

One of Wangaratta Art Gallery’s most popular exhibitions, Petite Miniature Textiles showcases innovative textile practice from across Australia, in small scale and is on display at Wangaratta Art Gallery until 13 September.

Petite Miniature Textiles 2026 is a biennial exhibition showcasing innovative small-scale textile practice from across Australia.

This year, 46 works by 34 artists and groups were selected by guest curator Cara Johnson, artist and previous Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award finalist which respond to the theme of 'in the detail'.