Destination NSW is backing the state’s vibrant regional events calendar during May with funding for nine celebrations through the 2025/26 Regional Event Fund.

Events include:

  • Tocal Field Days (1-3 May), an agricultural and rural lifestyle event at Tocal Agricultural College in Paterson
  • Milton Folk, Jazz and Blues Festival (1-3 May), featuring more than 70 free performances in cafes, pubs and restaurants, plus ticketed shows at the Milton Theatre
  • Port Stephens Multisport Festival (2-3 May), an outdoor festival combining swimming, mountain biking and trail running through Tomaree National Park and coastal areas
  • Backroads Fest - Orange (9 May), an outdoor music and independent craft beer festival
  • Barragga Yangga - Bega (10 May), a celebration of First Nations language, story and song
  • The Big Chill Festival - Armidale (15-17 May), highlighting the region's cool-climate culture and vibrant arts scene
  • Dark Sky Festival - Lord Howe Island (16-23 May), an event (above) celebrating the island's pristine night skies through stargazing, astronomy and environmental education
  • Make Good Festival - Bundanon (17-18 May), an event focused on sustainability, creativity and practical living
  • Sculpture for Clyde - Eurobodalla (30 May - 7 June), a free public art festival held on the Batemans Bay foreshore.

More than $1.3 million in funding was awarded to 61 events through the 2025/26 Regional Event Fund.

From community festivals to cultural and sporting events, the funding aims to boost local economies, attract visitors from outside the region and promote vibrant communities.

The Regional Event Fund is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to strengthening local communities and boosting regional tourism.

Through Destination NSW, grants of up to $50,000 support events with marketing, PR, infrastructure and equipment hire to enhance the visitor experience.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “Regional events are the heartbeat of local communities – they celebrate what makes each region unique while also driving real economic benefits by attracting visitors, creating jobs and supporting local businesses.”

Pictured main: "Pelicant" by Jesse Graham featured in the 2018 Sculpture for Clyde event and was so popular among attendees that it became a permanent feature on the breakwall at the Batemans Bay Marina.