Newtown Festival Returns in November

If you’re in Sydney, either a local or visiting, then keep the 9^th November free! The Newtown Festival returns and this year, it honors Newtown Independence Day at the Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. This cheeky claim to fame of independence starts at 930am and runs to 530pm and as one of the city’s largest community events, it’s worth checking out.

As an annual tradition, the neighbourhood center raises funds for local community goals, to build a thriving region and support vulnerable and disadvantaged people.  If you’re expecting this to be a tiny county fair type of event…think again. It attracts over 80,000 visitors who fall in love each November with the music, arts and grassroots style.

There are five stages (yes five) at the festival showcasing live music and entertainment while you prowl around from over 300 stalls. The stalls aren’t just about food and drink, they also focus on creative wares, sustainable products and all items local so when you purchase these, you’re giving back to the hood’s economy.

Due to popular demand, there are the usual garage sales, Writers Tent, roving performers and favourites. These include the Dog Show, Kids Zone, Live Art Hub, Eco Oasis, Bike Boulevard and Vocal Local Village. Maybe bring ear plugs as it’s going to be a fantastically noisy day.

Reverting to one important showcase of the Dog Show, if you’re bringing Fido to the event, make sure you arrive in the morning as your best friend (ever) could win a prize in one of the 9 events. If your pet has three legs, lost its eye way back when or a tail is missing, no worries. The Welfare for Most Disadvantaged competition is on at 940am and brilliantly, wobbly Fido may win first prize!

The organizers don’t charge advance tickets as you’ll be asked to make a gold coin donation at the gates. Every dollar raised goes right back into the neighbourhood, which will, no doubt, give you a great fuzzy feel good rush.

Only one hour away by bus and around 25 minutes by car, after the Festival closes you can head back over the stunning Harbour Bridge to Cremorne Point. Needing a place to stay? The most affordable boutique 4 star Sydney hotel is situated here. Take a look at the home page short video and you’ll see why Tripadvisor awarded Cremorne Point Manor a ‘fourth’ consecutive Certificate of Excellence Award.

 

Clean up for 2015 Facilities Event

There’s nothing more productive than planning ahead, right? So if you have the Total Facilities Expo in your diary or calendar for 25-26 March 2015, then you need to start working on the fine print details.

The only dedicated industry event in Australia, this is where you can truly showcase and create a strong brand presence if you’re in the building, cleaning and facilities industry. With over 65 product categories including maintenance, software + tech and energy management (to name but a few), next year’s expo focus is on education and professional development.

Bringing experience and know-how from trusted brands by the creators of AWRE, Security Exhibition & Conference, DesignBUILD and designEX, these heavy weights will provide inspirational platforms to help small businesses attending and exhibiting.

If you want to know the real bells and whistles of data, here’s the information: 200+ exhibitors; two days of seminars, education, presentation and key notes; over 2400 visitors, 65%+ exhibitors that generate lead values at more than $26 million. In addition, the event website claims and boasts an impressive 94% of visitors recommend this expo to their colleagues.

(the cleanest expo booth, we just had to use!)

The website includes the full exhibition requirements and forms for you to submit. Also keep in mind the technology and facilities criteria that the organizers provide, if you’re looking to host a booth. Any additional requirements you have, make sure you submit these early to avoid tech mishaps and installations being incorrect sizes.  The floor plan (at the time of this blog post) isn’t available so request this through the email form. It’s all about location, location, location. The last thing you want is to be hidden away in a corner so try request a position near the bathrooms (toilets), food areas and exits. This way, you’re guaranteed great foot traffic.

A final tip:  Ask the expo organizers if you can mail all your promotional materials, business cards and display visuals to be delivered directly to your booth. This way, you’re not carrying a huge amount of luggage (with extra travel fees) and can call the expo a day or so beforehand to confirm delivery.

Finally, since the expo is so close in proximity to a Sydney affordable boutique hotel, check Cremorne Point Manor’s rates to book early for your expo stay. We have many business travelers stay with us, regularly so you'll be in good company and you won't melt your corporate credit card. With a maximum 20 minute drive between both destinations, you can be assured that you’re not spending all your time traveling, as we all know expos will have you on your feet for a good 16 hours a day, each day. At the Manor, it’s our job to make sure you have your feet up in a lounge chair or on a bed, overlooking the Harbour skyline. Check our home page video for a preview…of the view. No wonder Tripadvisor gave the Manor a 4^th consecutive year Certificate of Excellence award.

Feeling Grand For Inspiring Designs?

Returning yet again to popular demand, Grand Designs Live 2014 will be open to the public in Sydney on 24 – 26 October.  As a spin off from the TV series, this is a great three day event where you can find the best ideas and advice to pamper up your abode. Alongside meeting and chatting with TV celebrities from the series, there are a multitude of exhibition demos and booths that will get you reconsidering that mossy green wall paper in the spare room.

With over 200 exhibitors with hundreds of products at the show, this is an ideal way to either ponder about a full home refurbishment or focus on one area that requires that extra touch of decorating pzazz.

The show includes all areas of home décor from interiors to kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor and building. This year, the exhibition features a new upgrade called Designs Arcade. This is where you can snoop around for house wares from the country’s up and coming designers. It’s a great way to support local talents and grab some unique catches that may one day, be a collector’s item!

Looking to make those small spaces sparkle and need ideas on decluttering? Don’t we all! There will be a dedicated focus on nooks and crannies, storage innovation and how to blend colour. Once you get started, there will be no stopping you so maybe take photos of each room and outdoor area of your home to show these to the designers, and they can give you solid advice on décor options.

Prime TV celeb, Kevin McCloud will also be walking the floors and talking at the expo in the Lifestyle Channel Grand Theatre so you better book your tickets early. The VIP tickets have sold out but the other tier tickets between $75 and $115 AUD are still available.

Check the website’s What’s On page which includes specifics about showcase events such as the Tech Box, Design Arcade, Sustainability Stage and Grand Show Gardens, just so you don’t miss out on anything.

The beauty of all who are visiting Sydney on business or for fun, is that the expo’s taking place at the Conference and Exhibition Center. So what better way to end each day than taking a short ferry ride to an affordable, boutique Sydney hotel and be inspired by the sun setting over the famous Harbour Bridge. If you check out Cremorne Point Manor’s website home page, take a look at the quick visual tour of the hotel and surrounding views. Inspiring doesn’t even begin to describe it!

Pink Ribbons and Charitable Wheels

On the 12^th October, whether you’re in Sydney on business, a local or a tourist you must check out the annual Pink Ribbon Ride!  For the past 14 years, this event has raised thousands of dollars for Breast Cancer through various charity initiatives: riders are charged entry fees for attending  or you can ask friends & family to sponsor your  in the event.

Thousands of riders from Girls Ride Out, sponsorship by Harley-Davidson (naturally) and Insure My Ride participate, decked out in every shade of pink possible as they ride through the Sydney roads.

Naturally, with all popular events, there’s a fair style atmosphere including a flurry of food booths and entertainment. The most popular activities include stunts, rider training, first aid demonstrations and the exclusive Pink Harley Jumpstart machine which is a ‘free for all to try’ so remember your 1989 Sunset Blvd cap and gloves.

Presented by James Tobin of the Weekend Sunrise Weather, Larry Medur from The Morning Show and Logie award winning Aaron Jeffery, you’ll also see a smattering of celebrities who grab their wheels and raise awareness of breast cancer - keep a look out for these A through D’listers!

Registration opens at 9am and there’ll be a prize for the best dressed bike & scooter so consider fuschia’ing up your transportation. Rides depart at 10am as the fair day opens and by 11am the registration closes.  Within an hour, the checkpoint is closed and riders return for lunch and fair activities. By 2pm, presentations and awards are underway with the event closing at 4pm.

If you’re looking to be a mini spectator, then hot spot points to perch yourself include the departure Clulb Punchbowl’s Carpark, Bringelly Road, Greendale Road, Wallacia, Silverdale Road to Production Avenue and towards Oakdale towards Picton. If you need the specifics, here’s the route map.

It takes seconds to register on the website unless you’ve just arrived in from 1973 and feel the urge to mail in your form. Alternatively, if you can’t make the event, you can easily donate cash to the cause within the website, as a one-time or reoccurring payment.

Now you’ve done your bit for charity, treat yourself to a ride over the M1 (Harbour Bridge) and enjoy a night’s rest at Sydney’s affordable boutique hotel, Cremorne Point. With incredible views of the downtown skyline and winning its 4^th consecutive Award for Excellence by TripAdvisor, it’s easy to see why Cremorne Point Manor’s a popular gem.  Between your charitable contribution to Pink Ribbon and a night’s sleep at the Manor, you’ll not be melting your credit card anytime soon.