Bendigo’s busy winter events season: what’s on and how to get involved

The winter events calendar in Bendigo is filling up fast, with organisers finalising dates for community gatherings, art launches and family-friendly activities that run through the school holidays and into early spring.

No single event dominates the schedule, but a cluster of recurring weekly and monthly programs, including the Bendigo Community Farmers’ Market at the Showgrounds and weekly art workshops at the Bendigo Art Gallery, continue to draw consistent crowds. The market, held every Saturday morning on Holmes Road, features more than 40 stallholders selling local produce, artisan bread and preserves. Entry is free.

The timing matters. Midwinter in a city like Bendigo, where the July mean maximum temperature hovers around 12 degrees, typically sees a lull in outdoor activity. Community groups and the City of Greater Bendigo have deliberately scheduled indoor and sheltered events to keep the city active. The council’s own seasonal guide, published online in late June, lists more than 20 events from now through August 31.

Markets and making

Beyond the Saturday farmers’ market, the Castlemaine-based Mt Alexander Community Market runs the first Sunday of each month at the Castlemaine Railway Station, about 20 minutes’ drive south of Bendigo. It’s a fixture for second-hand goods, plants and homemade cakes. Entry is by gold coin donation.

Indoor options are plentiful. The Bendigo Library holds free weekly craft sessions for adults on Wednesday afternoons, and the Bendigo Pottery in Epsom offers weekend wheel-throwing classes for $55 per person, bookings essential. The Pottery has been running continuously since 1857 and its wood-fired kilns are still operational.

Parents looking for school-holiday activities can book spots at the Discovery Science & Technology Centre, which is running daily ‘Winter Wonders’ sessions through to July 21. Prices start at $16 for children and $20 for adults. The centre reported on its website that weekday sessions were nearing capacity as of July 10.

Get on the list

The best way to stay across what’s coming up is the council’s weekly events email, which subscribers receive every Monday morning. It links directly to the ‘What’s On’ page on the Bendigo Tourism website, a database of more than 150 verified local events covering markets, sports carnivals, live music and gallery openings.

For those planning ahead, the annual Bendigo Chinese Easter Festival, held in April, remains the city’s largest single community event, drawing an estimated 45,000 people in 2025, but organisers have confirmed the 2027 date has not yet been announced.

In the immediate term, residents can mark their calendars for the ‘Winter Warmers’ concert series at the Ulumbarra Theatre on August 8 and 15, featuring local brass bands and choirs. Tickets are $25 concession, available through the box office at 17-23 View Street.

No matter your taste, Bendigo’s winter offerings are steady rather than splashy. The advice from regular attendees on the city’s community Facebook group: book early for anything at the theatre, and bring warm socks for the Saturday market.