LAUNCH OF THE BATHURST SHOWGROUND WINTER FESTIVAL

Bathurst’s beloved Winter Festival is set for an exciting return in 2026 reimagined in a brand-new format. Ace Attractions and the Bathurst Showground Land Manager Trust are joining forces to deliver the new Bathurst Showground Winter Festival, ensuring the region’s iconic winter celebration continues to light up the Central West.

Running across the July school holidays from 4 - 19 July 2026, the festival will relocate to the Bathurst Showground, bringing back crowd favourites including the McDonald’s ice rink, carnival rides and the much-loved carousel along with exciting new attractions still to be unveiled.

Since launching in 2015, the Bathurst Winter Festival has become one of regional NSW’s premier winter events, drawing tens of thousands of visitors and injecting millions into the local economy each year.

Festivalgoers can also expect brand new experiences including Honky Tonk nights, market days, food and wine events, plus the return of popular all-abilities and pet-friendly days.

Announcing the launch of the new Bathurst Showground Winter Festival today, Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said it is fantastic to see this much-loved event continuing in a new format.

“This is proof of what can happen when local businesses and the community come together,” Mr Toole said.

“This is exactly the type of event our region needs, a vibrant, family-friendly activity that will also be a major boost for local jobs and businesses,” Mr Toole said.

“In just a matter of days, an incredible amount of work has gone into ensuring this major event not only survives, but returns in a fresh new format for families, locals and visitors to enjoy.

“The Winter Festival has become part of Bathurst’s identity. It fills our cafes, restaurants, pubs, shops and accommodation venues at a time when local businesses need support most.”

Ace Attractions organiser Jade Evans said the decision to step in came from a desire to ensure the region did not lose one of its most loved events.

“Once events like this disappear, it’s incredibly hard to bring them back,” Ms Jade Evans said.

“We knew how much the Winter Festival means to Bathurst, so we wanted to do everything possible to keep it alive and give the community something exciting to look forward to.

“It’s now up to locals, families and visitors to come and support this event and ensure it has a future beyond 2026.”

A special thanks was extended to Jade from Ace Attractions for showing the initiative of keeping the Winter Festival alive and to the Bathurst Showgrounds Land Manager Trust for offering the space to host this major event.

The Bathurst Showground Winter Festival is a celebration of Bathurst’s community spirit, creativity and regional pride. Local performers, artists, entertainers and businesses are encouraged to contact organisers about sponsorship and performance opportunities as preparations ramp up for July.