Thrive Festival

Thrive is a free one day festival at Bellingen Shire Showgrounds on Saturday 4th March with bonus tours and activities on Sunday 5th March.

You don't need to sign up your details - just turn up on the day!

Organised by the not-for-profit charitable organisation OzGREEN, this highly inclusive event is designed to bring everyone together to build community belonging and connectedness.

Running at the same time as the regular Bellingen Growers and Poultry Market, Thrive Festival will involve all sectors of the Bellingen Shire community including, community groups, emergency services, food producers, Gumbaynggirr elders, health professionals, musicians, renewable energy experts, weather watchers, environmentalists, performance artists, and government.

The festival program is jam packed with a variety of unique and exciting activities that cover a holistic range of important topics such as water, food, energy, ecosystem and economic security, There will also be a focus on how to prepare for future disasters, such as, fire and flood, as well as, a variety of hands on mental health and wellbeing activities.

Main Stage Performances and Entertainment:

• An opening ceremony incorporating a welcome to country by Uncle Micklo Jarrett integrated with a performance from the Bellingen High School Gumbaynggirr Dance group.
• Welcome speech from Mayor Stephen Allan and OzGREEN Co-Founder Sue Lennox
• Performances by Wild Thyme, Samba Soul and Greg Sheehan
• Storytelling with Gumbyniggirr elders
• 2bbb OB1 van will also be at Main Stage and assisting with MC

Workshops in the Discovery tent, Nourish tent and Luncheon Room:

• Preserving and pickling workshop with Ziggy Wild Foods
• Body Percussion workshop with Greg Sheehan
• Bowl of Plenty cooking demo and shared community meal with Mitchell Grady
• Nose-to-tail nutrient dense cooking workshop with Bello Beef
• Conversation Circles for Future Building with CEL (Centre of Ecological Learning)
• Big picture thinking with OzGREEN’s Sue Lennox
• 3D printing workshop with OzGREEN’s Anton Juodvalkis
• Drumming workshop with The Rhythm Realm
• Herbs for resilience workshop with Chamomile Natural Health
• Reflection workshop with Bernard Kelly-Edwards
• Mindfulness and compassion workshop with Lisa Brown & Jude Baderle
• Bushcraft workshop with Evelin Oaktree

Panel Discussions & Presentations in The Pavillion

• Emergency services (RFS, SES, Fire & Rescue and local Police)
• Energy suppliers
• Weather Watchers
• Water (River and Biodiversity specialists, water storage and water testing experts)
• Local food producers (co-ops, regenerative farms, sustainable food experts and local farmers explaining what's growing in our shire)
• Future possibilities (alternate economies speakers and benefits for social enterprise)

Kids Space

Kids activities will include, Bush Clay with local Art Therapist Bronwyn Napiorkowski, OzGREEN's Riverwatch Waterbug workshop, plus a jumping castle for kids under 10 years of age.

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Check out the full program for the FREE Saturday event at Bellingen Showgrounds:

Website: www.ozgreen.org.au/thrive

Instagram: @ozgreennorthcoast

Facebook: OzGREENNorthMidCoast

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Thrive Festival Sunday Sessions 

Bonus tours and activities on Sunday 5th March, all available here in Humantix at $10 per ticket.

There's something for everyone - from learning rewilding skills and techniques, to growing your own food and permaculture. Discover Urunga’s Gumbaynggirr history or connect with shadow in country and waters at The Promised Lands with Gumbaynggirr elders and cultural experts. Learn more about regenerative farming and water saving design.

Book your tickets NOW! See our host page below for full listing.