January
we all scream
Welcome to the latest edition of The Bright Raclette, an aspirational monthly community newsletter where we will share upcoming local events, announcements, initiatives and shopping lists to brighten your day and help you plan your month.
If you keep finding out about fun stuff after it’s already happened… well, that’s exactly why we’re here.
If your device just scanned your face and verified you as old without any further question… welcome to the future!
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THIS MONTH
As the temperatures rise and the river becomes packed with members of the public now too young to access Substack, we’re looking at creative and delicious ways to cool down. One shop in town has been the object of particular scrutiny by a group of very sophisticated palettes. With no further ado we present to you the content you’ve been waiting for: the youth of Bright’s favourite Bright Ice Creamery flavours (and most importantly, why).
Tilly, 8 - “Salted caramel. It’s salty, and sweet and doesn’t taste like normal caramel. I don’t like normal caramel, it’s just sugar and water.”
Darcy, 4 - “Bubblegum because I tried it once and liked it. But it smells like burning rubbish. I also like chocolate. That’s why I’m going to get four flavours— bubblegum, chocolate, vanilla and coconut. Are we going now?”
Jaymon, 7 - “Chocolate. Obviously it’s the king of flavours.”
Eddie, 7 - “Smarties! Because it’s ice cream with extra goodies.”
Lily, 8 - “This is tricky… chocolate. Because it’s delicious and it’s CHOCOLATE.”
Anastasia, 7 - “Mint choc chip, because it’s green.”
Lucy, 2 - “Strawberry because I ate it yesterday.”
Greta, 7 - “Coconut, because it has a tangy flavour. And it makes me feel healthy for some reason.”
Tom, 8 - “Every single flavour except blue cheese. Honeycomb, chocolate and mint chip. I can’t choose just one.”
Alex, 8 - “Mint chip because you get a little taste of mint and a little taste of chocolate and they go well together.”
Rachael, 4 - “Chocolate, because I like chocolate.”
Albert, 8 - “Mmm a favourite I don’t really have one, but I do like chilli chocolate. It’s got a bit of sweet and a bit of spice, I like a bit of spice. Oooh but Biscoff is new and I like that too as it’s rare and it’s got a bit of crunch.”
Finn, 6 - “Mango. Because it tastes like mango.”
Lettie, 7 - “Smarties, then rainbow then raspberries. Smarties because all the smarty flavours mix in and it gives it a good crunch. And it gives you extra chocolate.”
Poppy, 4 - “Pink ice cream. I just like the pink one.”
Matilda, 5 - “Rainbow because did you know it’s actually caramel?”
Belle, 6 - “Chocolate because chocolate is just the best!”
Oli, 10 - “Liquorice because it tastes like the real life liquorice and has little chunks of it in it.”
Read on for more cutting edge news including upcoming events, some suggested reading for your summer holidays, and some stunning ice cream-related artwork!
👉 Jump to stuff from us: SEE | DO | WATCH | READ | FYI
👉 Jump to stuff from you: Ice Cream Art | Summer Reading List | Marjorie Beavis-Warren fails to Marj
SEE
— one-offs —
Jan 10 | Watch John Waters and band roll out the hits of the British Pop Invasion in Radio Luxembourg. Big songs, bigger nostalgia. Albury Entertainment Centre, 8pm.
Jan 15–17 | Watch Whalebone, a playful, gadget-filled theatre show about stories, robots and saving the day, performed by clown, tinkerer, inventor and comedian Jens Altheimer. HotHouse Theatre, various times.
Jan 20-22 | Ooos! Watch Bluey for real life in a theatre stage show. Expect games, giggles and parental endurance testing. Albury Entertainment Centre, Various times.
Jan 20 | Flip, fly and defy gravity with Cirque Nouvelle, a fast-paced modern circus show for all ages. No animals, all talent. Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre, 6pm.
Jan 24–25 | Wander the Alpine Arts Trail and meet artists in their working studios across Tawonga, Mt Beauty and Bogong. Various locations, 10am–3pm.
— sneak peak —
Not this month, but you probably need to book it this month, so we’ve included it:
March 7 | Grab your tickets for a day packed with great music, food, drink, boot tossing, sack races and general family fun at Spring Ditch in Stanley. A tip of the hat to the much-beloved and long running Stanley Sports Day, with a modern spin and soundtrack to match — ft. Queen of Hearts, Buddhadatta, Amaya Laucirica, The Lulublues, The Skabhangers, DJ Jane Doe, DJ Prof, John Walker and more.
— weekend regs —
JANUARY 2026 IS A MONTH OF FRIDAYS (5 WHOLE SETS OF THEM)
Ringer Reef | It’s the summer of tunes in the vines! BYO picnic (but not drinks) to the sloping lawns for: Tom Harrington (Jan 2), Adam Lindsay (Jan 9), and Rhys Duursma (Jan 16). 1-4pm.
Harrietville Hotel Motel | Friday evenings are better in the beer garden with Dean Haitani (Jan 2). From 6pm.
The Star | Trivia and Joker Poker. Meat trays and good vibes from 6pm.
SATURDAYS
Ringer Reef | BYO picnic (but not drinks) to the sloping lawns for: Tom Harrington (Jan 3), Tahlia Brain (Jan 10), Cat Magic (Jan 17) and Dean Haitani (Jan 24). 1-4pm.
Harrietville Hotel Motel | Saturday tunes at the bottom pub with Angus Montaigne (Jan 3, 4pm), The Cholesterol Brothers (Jan 24, 6pm) and Dean Haitani (Jan 31, 6pm).
Myrtleford Summer Series | Free live music on balmy summer evenings in the Piazza. Umbrellas and chairs provided, BYO picnic rug. Check out Toby Mobbs (Jan 3), Joe Davies & Angus Swan (Jan 10), Tahlia Brain (Jan 17), Minnie and the Moonrakers (Jan 24) and In the Pine (Jan 31).
Wandi Pub | Cruise on over to Wandi for al fresco tunes from Glenn Wilson (Jan 17), 5-8pm.
Don Mungo’s | Mungo Disco every Saturday from 10pm with DJs from near and far.
SUNDAYS
Bright Brewery | Join Sunday sessions with The Bad Knees (Jan 4), Doctor Daz and the Defips (Jan 11), Minnie & The Moonrakers (Jan 18), Cholesterol Brothers (Jan 25). 2-5pm.
Ringer Reef | Terry Lockwood (Jan 4), Rhys Duursma (Jan 11), Benny Williams (Jan 25). 1-4pm.
MID-WEEK FUN
Ringer Reef is filling your school holiday weekdays with bonus gigs. Pop down to their Punkah vineyards and listen to Tahlia Brain (Jan 5, Monday); White Dog (Jan 6, Tuesday), Paige Barnard (Jan 8, Thursday), Matt Sier (Jan 12, Monday), Aam Lindsay (Jan 13, Tuesday), Dos Hombres (Jan 15, Thursday). 1-4pm.
👇 Did we miss any gigs? Message us below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com for upcoming gigs or venues we should contact for Feb/March/April.
DO
Jan 2 | Ride twilight shuttles at Mystic Bike Park, then roll straight into drinks by the river. Mystic Bike Park, 4–7pm.
Jan 3 | Bring your family and friends along to the annual, open-air Bright Rotary Twilight Markets, located under the shady trees at Howitt Park, Bright. Howitt Park, 3-8pm.
Jan 6 | 13 | 20 | 27 | Head to the second of 6 weeks of multi-format (dirt and gravity) mountain bike racing in Bright, A, B, C, ebike and kids categories and as serious or fun as you like. Sign up at Alpine Cycling Club.
Jan 17 | Take on the Audax Alpine Classic, an easy-going, cruisy 200km ride with just 4079m of climb. Beautiful routes with some distance options.
Jan 17 | Embrace your inner ultra-marathon runner (or supporter) with The Rooftop Run, a classic ultra trail running race across the rooftop of the High Country from Bogong to Hotham. Choose your suffering level: 29km, 35km or 64km.
Jan 17 | Browse the Make it, Bake it, Grow it markets for crepes, coffee and an impressive volume of things you didn’t know you needed. From 8.30am.
Jan 25 | Paddle hard at the Falls Creek Dragon Boat Regatta in a full day of racing at altitude. Bring sunscreen, keep cups and competitive spirit. Rocky Valley Lake, Falls Creek, 8am.
Jan 25 | Log some karma with the Alpine Cycling Club and lend a hand on Trail Appreciation Day and help keep local singletrack rideable and fun. No experience needed, snacks guaranteed. ACC Clubrooms, Coronation Ave Bright, 9am–12pm.
👇 In the know about an upcoming event? Message us below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com.
WATCH
Cinema | Choose from Bright’s Sun Cinema January releases:
Song Sung Blue (two down-on-their-luck performers form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band); The Pout Pout Fish (an unlikely duo embark on a daunting undersea quest in search of a fabled mythical fish to grant their wish to save their homes) — n.b. colouring-in competition for a Pout Pout Fish prize pack plus a family pass for four, drop your entries to Sun Cinema by Jan 6; The Spongebob Movie: The Search for Squarepants (go where no Sponge has gone before); The Choral (Yorkshire, 1916: Ralph Fiennes leads a group of young choristers who grapple with imminent conscription); Marty Supreme (epic sports drama starring Timothee Chalamet as a young ping pong prodigy, inspired by real events); Rental Family (Brendan Fraser stars as an American actor in Tokyo working for a Japanese “rental family” agency).
If you do see a film, send us your review!
Star-watch | January 10 will be the best time to see Jupiter in 2026. The biggest planet in our solar system will be shining its very brightest, and visible to the naked eye from sunset to sunrise. Less likely that you’ll be able to see all 97 of its known moons, unless you’ve been eating a lot of carrots lately.
Weather-watch | Hot.
Talent-watch | Check out the artistic skills of these talented young ice cream lovers:
👇 Saw something you liked? Or didn’t? Submit your own review below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com
READ
Summer Reading List
Fill your brain with words this summer. Or watch Heated Rivalry instead, who are we to judge.
Marj’s book: THE WOMEN, Kristin Hannah. A fictional account of a young woman’s experience of army combat nursing in Vietnam and the impact on her life after returning home. I rate it dark chocolate and cherry flavour as it has enomous depth and bursts of intense sweet emotion. One of the best books Marj has read in a long time.
Alex’s book: SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE, Kurt Vonnegut. Darkly funny (until it isn’t) anti-war novel with aliens and time travel. I’d rate it coffee, it’s bitter and sweet and keeps you awake.
Emma’s book: DONE AND DUSTED, Lyla Sage. An easy, steamy, low-stakes cowboy romance. I rate this book hokey pokey on the ice cream scale, because there’s a whole bunch of the latter.
Marj fails to Marj
This month Marj is taking a well-deserved break from Marjing, thus failing to Marj.
In her ongoing theme of failure, however, she did share with us the following questionable Christmas arts and crafts project.
TBR is offering a cone of feijoa ice cream to anyone able to correctly guess what this pile of KitKats is meant to represent. We have been informed it is not Mont Blanc, a church, or a pyre for burning witches. Happy guessing!
👇 Have an event for 2026 that you want Marj to attend and review? Let us know here. Preferential consideration will be given to events that have Marj tucked up in bed by 9.30pm.
FYI
Want to check out some further-afield ice cream treats? Check out Monumental Ice Creamery in Albury, where the flavours are yum and the branding is on point. Pretty pastels for your eyes and your stomach!
Libraries in Bright, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford have a chock-full calendar of crafty events for younglings this January including plaster painting, suncatcher making and origami fun (bonus: all libraries are fully air-conditioned). Spaces are limited for most activities so contact your local library to book your spot and avoid missing out.
Help shape the 2026/2027 Alpine Shire budget by identifying your priorities for local council spending. Complete the short survey here (submissions close Monday Jan 19).
👇 Do you know something we don’t? Drop us a line below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com