John O'Brien Festival - Festival of Australian word & song

20 Mar 2009 to 22 Mar 2009

Dubbed by the media "Narrandera's amazing festival", the John O'Brien Bush Festival celebrates Irish-Australian culture through poetry, music, humour, dance and bush craft.

For the uninitiated this means there'll be busking, bush dancing, poet's breakfasts, and comedy shows. There'll be walkups, a fantastic pub session, and lots of children's activities. There'll be a parade, a craft fair, an art exhibition and an Anzac tribute. There'll be antique machinery, street performers and a parade. And there'll a touch of the Irish, evident in music and in song. This festival has a reputation for friendliness and fun.

The Community Bank volunteers will be here to help you and the locals are welcoming.

If you are a folk musician you'll love every minute of it. The pub session is legendary, the bush dance atmospheric, and you'll be there.

If you're a bush poet you'll have lots of chances to have a go.

The performance competitions (there are two) are worth a try and there are the walk-ups (muso's welcome too) and the poet's breakfasts.

This year we introduce Kreative Kid's Carnival, the Narrandera Bakery Billy Cart Race. You can tour the town on the Lion's Train, You can take the fascinating tour of Narrandera Cemetary. Country Energy Day in East Street the Narrandera Park is a great family day out.

The Teddy Bear's Picnic, the Kreative Kids Karnival, the concert, the Ford Show'n'Shine, the performer who is the voice of the Bananas in Pyjamas theme song, the Amusements and a craft fair. Remember children may attend many of the indoor concerts, under adult supervision free of charge.

>>> Download the 2009 John O'Brien Festival Program

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