Family fun for residents and visitors during winter school holidays

Free Hargreaves Street Mall events include:

• The City in partnership with Bendigo Tramways will present TRAMpionship Mini Golf, a fun and free activity from June 27 to July 11 in Hargreaves Street Mall. The nine-hole course features unique designs inspired by Greater Bendigo’s heritage landmarks. Challenge your families and friends to putt around the course. Score sheets and putts supplied. (Please note this activity is subject to weather conditions)
• Friday June 26 FIFA World CupTM Paraguay v Australia on the big screen (kick off at 12pm) with family fun, face painting, and coffee giveaways
• Friday June 26 School Bands Showcase from 4pm to 6.30pm
• July 1 Dumawul – Djaara Welcome for the Change of Seasons Wanyarra (water) and Gurri (kangaroo)
• July 2 Music in the Mall with Tarah Frawley & Earth Cadet
• July 3 Australian Sheep & Wool Show pop up with the woolly and furry stars from 11am to 2pm
• July 9 Lunchtime Jams with Flynn Patrao and Rebecca Duanna
• July 15 Tai Chi with WELBY Holistic Healing
• July 18: Moonlight Market in the Mall with over 70 stalls and live music

To keep updated on Mall activities, visit the Fun in the City Centre page.

Other free events include:

• Pick up a Play Passport form from participating businesses or Visitor Centres, collect stamps at participating Play venues, and go in the draw to win the Golden Ticket - a Bendigo Tram Driver for a Day experience valued at $1,950
• Duck & Seek – find 13 cheeky ducks on shopfronts, laneways, landmarks in the Bendigo and Loddon region. Submit your guess by July 19 for a chance to win a family fun weekend pass valued at $522
• Brick by brick: 10 years of building Bendigo is a free exhibition at the Living Arts Space, located in Bendigo Visitor Centre. Featuring well known regional landmarks, the exhibition celebrates a decade of creativity by the Bendigo LEGOR User Group
• Hop, Scotch, Jump at various locations, Dragons and Ladders at the piazza,  Rosalind Park and Floor is Lava on Pall Mall are here to keep kids active
• Chess on the Hill is on every first and second Sunday of the month where you can play chess in a supportive and safe space at The Old Church Hill from 10am to 2pm (gold coin donation). For more, visit: Chess on the Hill - Bendigo & Heathcote
• View Street Amplified - enjoy free live music outside The Capital on View Street with Luke Watt Duo (11am-12pm), central Victorian Americana four piece Paper Jane at 12.30-2pm, Xanthe Thorpe from 2.15pm to 3pm plus DJ Goddess Complex on the decks between sets
• Billabongs Not Silos: Beyond Symbolism, a free exhibition at Djaa Djuwima gallery in Bendigo Visitor Centre, brings together Indigenous artworks, cultural objects, and stories from health. Great way for young people to learn about First Nations culture

Ticketed holiday events and performances include:

• CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks is on at the Discovery Science & Technology Centre. Created by Ryan “Brickman” McNaught and his talented team, this hands-on adventure brings science, technology, engineering, and maths to life using everyone’s favourite building blocks! Discover a towering 7.5 metre NASA Space Launch System rocket, life-size LEGO® builds of the Mars Rover Perseverance and Ingenuity helicopter and interactive zones where kids (and grown-ups) can play, build and invent their own LEGO® masterpieces. To book, visit: Discovery Centre Bendigo | Hands-On Science
• The annual Australian Sheep & Wool Show is the largest event of its kind in the world. From July 17-19, the annual event at Bendigo Prince of Wales Showgrounds presents elite competitions for sheep breeds, shearing and working dogs. This is complemented with wool craft, shopping, fashion, family entertainment, and the popular Festival of Lamb live cooking demonstrations. For tickets, visit: The Australian Sheep and Wool Show Highlights - Sheep Show
• The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is hosting Enlighten – His holiness the Dalai Lama’s 91st Birthday from 6pm to 9pm on Saturday July 11. The after-dark event will feature Tibetan performances, food, and activities for the whole family. For more information, visit: Enlighten - His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Birthday 2026
• Winter Wonderland Ice Skating at The Zone Fun Park in East Bendigo runs from June 27 to July 19. The Zone’s roller skating rink will be transformed into a real ice rink for the school holidays. To book, visit Winter Wonderland Ice Skating - Bendigo & Heathcote
• Under 16s Basketball National Championships from July 5 to July 12 at Red Energy Arena. For more information, visit: Basketball Australia Competitions

Performances at The Capital and Ulumbarra include:

• Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show is a theatrical adaption of the Emmy-award-winning children’s television series featuring beautifully crafted puppets. It is on Saturday July 18 and Sunday July 19 at Ulumbarra Theatre with various sessions available. To book, visit: Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show - Capital Venues & Events
• Abracadabra is a fast-paced family magic show bursting with energy and surprises with Luke Blaze at 11am on July 1 at Ulumbarra Theatre. To book, visit: Abracadabra - Capital Venues & Events
• Cosentino Tricked: An Evening of Wonder on July 11 at Ulumbarra invites you to step into the world of grand state illusions and heart-stopping escapes. To book, visit: Cosentino Tricked: An Evening of Wonder - Capital Venues & Events
• Inventi Ensemble presents Cinderella at The Capital’s Bendigo Bank Theatre– a dynamic musical performance that combines chamber music with cutting-edge contemporary works for this classic tale. To book, visit: Inventi Ensemble present Cinderella - Capital Venues & Events