Day or night, there are plenty of things to see and do across the holiday period. Photo: Visit Coolamon Shire.
The post-Christmas lull may be here, but there is still so much to see and do across the Riverina region, with live music, community street parties, New Year’s Eve events, art workshops, races, exhibitions and more.
Coolamon and Wagga will celebrate the new year with street parties, family-friendly fun, activities, food vendors, live music and of course, plenty of fireworks.
Tumbarumba will hold one of its popular traditions, bringing a two-day rodeo across New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, promising action and fun galore to celebrate the arrival of 2026.
All this and more await across the Riverina these holidays.
Multiple Days
Pop into Wagga Art Gallery to admire paintings inspired by spring. Image: Wagga Wagga Art Gallery.
From My Window — New Exhibition from Jo Davenport at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery
When: 26 December to 8 January, during normal gallery hours
Where: Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Morrow Street, Wagga Wagga
Cost: Free.
Artist Jo Davenport was inspired by a trip to Fowlers Gap in early 2025 to create this new exhibition showcasing the colours, textures and shapes of spring. Davenport was inspired by the vision of new trees sprouting up from new rain, turning the red sand of the area into a surreal garden bed.
These works attempt to capture the essence of spring — elation, fertility, colour, optimism and excitement, invoking the feeling of the season through abstract composition.
Davenport was also inspired to paint by poetry, including the works of English master William Blake.
Get up close with some of Wagga Zoo’s friendly creatures. Photo: Wagga Wagga City Council.
Meet-and-Greet Encounters at Botanic Gardens Zoo
When: 5 January to 8 January,
Where: Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens, MacLeay Street, Turvey Park
Cost: Free.
Wagga’s favourite zoo is running special meet-and-greets during the school holidays, giving kids a chance to get up close to some of the Botanic Gardens’ amazing animals. Curious kids will be able to feed some of the zoo’s most lovable residents. There will also be mini pony walks around the gardens and photo opportunities. In addition to this school holiday event, the zoo’s regular menagerie of dingoes and reptiles is still wild and waiting.
Meet near the wombat enclosure to get started.
Celebrate 80 years of heritage at Tumbarumba Rodeo. Photo: Visit NSW.
Tumbarumba Rodeo
When: 31 December, 2 pm to 11:30 pm; and 1 January, noon to 11:30 pm
Where: Tumbarumba Showgrounds, The Parade, Tumbarumba
Cost: Tickets from $20 to $50 | Children under 6 free | Book online.
Head to the Tumbarumba Rodeo this New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and enjoy all the fun of the oldest continuous rodeo in NSW.
Kick off at 2 pm on New Year’s Eve for a full afternoon of rodeo action, with saddle bronc riding, bareback, bull riding, steer wrestling, team roping, rope-and-tie, and more. There will also be a DJ playing music till late, as well as food and trade stalls.
On New Year’s Day, the action starts at noon with another full rodeo program, a live band and the same great fun events as New Year’s Eve.
Friday
Head to the Tumut Racecourse this Boxing Day. Photo: Visit NSW.
Tumut Boxing Day Races
When: 26 December, noon
Where: Tumut Racecourse, 1 Elm Drive, Tumut
Cost: Tickets from $15 to $25 | Book online.
Enjoy the Christmas to New Year’s Eve lull at the Tumut Racecourse with its Boxing Day Races.
There will be three bars, K&T’s Catering Kitchen, bookies, a DJ from 1 pm, and five races across the day. Don’t miss out on the excitement of the track this Boxing Day.
Wednesday
Celebrate the new year with the whole town of Coolamon. Photo: Visit NSW.
Coolamon New Year’s Eve Street Party
When: 31 December, 6 pm to 10 pm
Where: Cowabbie Street, Coolamon
Cost: Free | Kids’ Zone passes cost $15.
Bring the whole family and meet up with friends at the Coolamon New Year’s Eve Street Party. There will be plenty of restaurants on the main street open for revellers, as well as food vendors such as Marty’s Wood Fire Pizza, Pimientos Paella, Pap’s Ice Cream Van, Thai on Wheels and the Coolamon Rotary van with a sausage sizzle and steak sandwiches.
There will also be live music from The Mighty Yak from 6 pm to 10 pm. For $15, kids have an all-access pass to face painting, a petting zoo, a cup-and-saucer ride, Hoverball archery, a photo booth, basketball, outdoor games, chalk art on the road, a complimentary sausage sizzle and more.
The fireworks start at 10 o’clock.
Wagga celebrates New Year’s Eve at Lake Albert. Photo: Visit Wagga Wagga.
New Year’s Eve at Lake Albert
When: 31 December, 6:30 pm, fireworks from 9:30 pm
Where: Apex Park, Lake Albert
Cost: Free.
Celebrate the ew year in Wagga Wagga’s beautiful Apex Park by Lake Albert.
Bring your picnic blanket and roll it out from 6:30 pm to enjoy food trucks serving all sorts of delicious food to bring in the new year. The tasty offerings will include Wild Brew, Dutch Pancakes, Shephard’s Hub, Wangchuk, Cool Cones Ice Cream, Matcha Muse, OMG! Donuts and Dippin’ Dots.
The fireworks will start at 9:30.
Friday
Hone your skills at the Sketch Club. Photo: Visit Albury Wodonga.
Sketch Club at the Murray Art Museum Albury
When: 2 January, 11 am to noon
Where: Murray Art Museum Albury, 546 Dean Street, Albury
Cost: Free.
If you need that little push to start sketching or drawing, the sketch club at the MAMA is a great way to find the motivation to create.
By surrounding yourself with like-minded artists and the many beautiful works of the MAMA, you’ll be inspired to respond to works, dive deep into techniques, find details or just sharpen the skills you already have.
This monthly class begins with a brief introduction to a current exhibition from the gallery’s host, who goes on to share drawing techniques for context and consideration by you, the amateur artist.
Start off the year with a thrilling day at the races. Photo: Gundagai Adelong Racing Club, Facebook.
Adelong Cup New Year Races
When: 2 January, from noon
Where: Gundagai Adelong Racing Club, Oibell Drive, Gundagai
Cost: Free entry.
Start the year in style at the Gundagai Adelong Racing Club with the Adelong Cup, promising a great day of excitement and fun.
Get dressed to the nines, bring your mates, have a drink and cheer on your lucky pick on the track.
Wednesday
Cool off at the Darlington Point Pool Party. Image: Murrumbidgee Council, Facebook.
Darlington Point War Memorial Swimming Pool Party
When: 7 January, 2 pm to 5 pm
Where: Darlington Point War Memorial Swimming Pool, Stock Street, Darlington Point
Cost: Free.
Cool off at the Darlington Point Swimming Pool at this free town pool party. There will be a giant slip-and-slide, a sausage sizzle and fun giveaways. It’s a great way to be out with the community and beat the summer heat.
Thursday
This tribute act is a must-see event for Riverina Swifties. Image: Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre.
The Unofficial Tribute Show — Taylor: A Tribute to the Eras of Taylor Swift Music
When: 8 January, 6 pm
Where: Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre, Burns Way (off Tarcutta Street), Wagga Wagga
Cost: Tickets from $63.50 | Book online.
Calling all Swifties. Make a ‘’sweet escape’’ to the world of Taylor Swift with The Unofficial Tribute Show – Taylor: A Tribute to the Eras of Taylor Swift Music.
Showtime presents Josette with an international band and dancers in this joyous, effervescent concert experience, complete with sparkly costumes, cosmic stage production and more than 20 renditions of Swift’s biggest hits from every era of her career. These include Shake It Off, Anti-Hero, Cruel Summer, You Belong With Me, Love Story, I Knew You Were Trouble, Blank Space, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Bad Blood, Our Song, Lover and more.
