Launceston Central

We’re gearing up for a huge weekend in Launnie, with Island Escape Festival plus Hawthorn v Melbourne lighting up Inveresk. If you're keen for a more intimate experience, check out more of what's on in the CBD this weekend:

🎶 Friday night at The Oak 🎶From 5pm on 3 Jul, enjoy a relaxed, welcoming get-together for the LGBTQIA+ community, friends and allies with Q***r Drinks at The Royal Oak (14 Brisbane St). Stay on afterwards for free live music from 9pm with Jack & Dane, and sing along to power ballads and pub classics in the front bar.

📚 Live at the Library 📚 Catch a free live performance at the Launceston Library from acoustic ensemble Magic Carpet, this Sat 4 Jul at 10.30am, presented by Friends of the Library Launceston.

💛 Hawk Walk returns 💛 Join Hawka, Hawthorn President Andy Gowers and fellow Hawks supporters for the return of the Hawk Walk to UTAS Stadium. Start at Town Hall at 10.30am on Sat 4 Jul, with a visit to the 25 Years of Hawthorn exhibition before walking together to the game.

⚫ Embrace the Darkness at 1808 ⚫ This Sat 4 Jul, from midday to midnight, surrender to winter at 1808 Lounge Bar (186-188 Charles St ) with winter cocktails, mulled wine, and bold spirits beneath a dark and moody atmosphere. Lean into your dark side with black attire. Free entry, but bookings recommended ➡ 1808loungebar.com.au/reserve-your-seat

🎤 ROAM, citywide street performances 🎤 This Saturday night from 7-10pm, ROAM around the CBD and enjoy FREE live music pop-ups courtesy of The City of Launceston 🌟 Catch Kate Rigby and The Disappearer performing in the parklet outside Amelia Coffee, 56 George St 🌟 DJ Randall Foxx will be in Quadrant Mall 🌟 Paper Moon will be playing from Dill Pickle Club’s balcony, 78 St John St 🌟 DJ Frosty and DJ WUD’s will be spinning from the parklet outside Tinka Café at 147 St John St. Learn more here ➡ launceston.tas.gov.au/Upcoming-Events/ROAM

⚠️ If you're heading to Inveresk this weekend, prepare for these closures:
🎆 Due to a dazzling fireworks display, a section of the boardwalk (part of the Inveresk Trail along the North Esk River) will temporarily close from 5pm on Friday and 4pm on Saturday evening.
🚫On the morning of Sat 4 Jul, southbound lanes outside UTAS stadium on Invermay Rd between Forster St and Lindsay St will be closed before the AFL game kicks off at 1.15pm

🚗The Rotary Club will be providing car parking at Glebe Farm for $5.00 per car from 10.00am on Saturday for those attending the AFL game. Enter off Boland St next to Youngs Vegie Shed.

📆 Looking for more to explore? Visit our website for what's on this weekend and beyond ⬇

https://launcestoncentral.com.au/whats-on

Jane Freeman was on her way to lunch with a friend when she passed a sports store in the Launceston CBD. The AFL merchandise in the window made her double back for a second glance. The thought that came to her was immediate: that's exactly the kind of business I'd like to own. "I'd been in retail for thirty-odd years," says Jane, "and I thought it was something my husband and I could run together.” The very next day, Balls n Bumpers Launceston was advertised for sale in the local paper.

That was in 2013, and the store already carried more than a decade of history. Balls n Bumpers had its regulars, its rhythms, and its particular loyalty. But Jane could see it had stopped moving, and she knew exactly how she wanted to run it. Her first job had been at a small gift shop, where every purchase was gift-wrapped and no customer left without feeling properly attended to. Three decades in retail will tell you a lot about what people actually want from a shop, and what they want, she found, is not complicated. "Just to help the customers and make them feel seen and heard," she says simply. That was the standard she brought with her.

To learn more about Jane's journey as co-owner of Balls n Bumpers, visit our website at the link below and enjoy the full interview in our latest Launnie Long-stander feature:

https://launcestoncentral.com.au/blog/launnie-longstanders-balls-n-bumpers

💛🤎 Bagged a ticket to Hawthorn Vs Melbourne this weekend? It gets you so much more than entry to the game! 🤎💛

🎫 Use your ticket to get free drinks, discounted cruises, and specials across the city with our Footy Fan Trail: https://launcestoncentral.com.au/afl

🏆Don't miss the free 25-year retrospective exhibition at Launceston Town Hall to celebrate a quarter of a century of Hawthorn in Tasmania! The temporary exhibition is open now until Friday 3 July, 8.30am - 5pm, then 10am-2pm Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/2053615/hawthorn-launches-25-year-retrospective-exhibition-in-launceston

✨🧑‍🎤 After the match, follow the City of Launceston’s walkable trail of light and music back to the CBD with ROAM. From 7-10pm Saturday 4 July, ROAM transforms the city into a vibrant winter playground for locals and visitors alike. Featuring live music from Paper Moon, Kate Rigby, Randall Foxx, The Disappearer, Frosty and Wud, there's something for everyone. Find out more: https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Upcoming-Events/ROAM

🗺️ New to Launceston? Check out our guide to the city. It’s full of tips on where to eat, drink, and must sees before and after the game: https://shorturl.at/20amm

🚗The Rotary Club will be providing car parking at Glebe Farm for $5.00 per car from 10.00am on Saturday for those attending the AFL game. Enter off Boland St next to Youngs Vegie Shed.

Hawthorn Football Club