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The working week is drawing to a close and the Man of Many team is gearing up for a long weekend of almost-summer fun. Before we get there, though, here’s this week’s Feel-Good Friday.
This week we’re detailing a new regional food and wine festival kicking off this weekend, as well as a way to check out some home-grown films for free by Sydney Harbour. Plus, free pancakes and karaoke by Paul Dempsey!

‘Stargazer Cinema’ Brings Free Aussie Films to Barangaroo Reserve
For the next eight weeks, Sydneysiders that head to Barangaroo on Thursday evenings will be treated to a brand new free outdoor cinema experience: The Stargazer Cinema. Held at Barangaroo Reserve, the outdoor cinema experience will celebrate First Nations’ storytelling, with famed Australian directors on-hand to introduce and experience each film with the audience.
Films on display will include The Moogai, The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson, and Sweet As, as well as international features including BATI, Sweet Summer Pow Wow and Koka.
The Stargazer Cinema is being curated by Winda Film Festival, supported by ScreenAustralia and AFTRS, and will run every Thursday from 2 October to 20 November. If you’re keen, doors open at 6pm and films commence at 7pm—you can BYO your own refreshments, but keep it PG.

‘Horizontal Festival’ Kicks Off This Weekend
If you’re into wine, music, food and art, there’s a good chance the Southern Highlands’ inaugural Horizontal Festival is something you’d be into. Running across this weekend, the festival will feature live DJs, included tastings for wine, cheese, and distilleries, as well as the opportunity to dive into culinary curiosities with a series of masterclasses featuring acclaimed chefs and drink experts.
Sponsored by the NSW Government, the Horizontal Festival is a new event aiming to bring the best of regional NSW into one place: Centennial Vineyards, Bowral.
Plus, you’ll be able to chat with producers from great local businesses, such as Dharawal Distillery, Red Mill Rum, Golden Gozleme, Heaps Normal, Lord Howe Island Distillery, and Mama Kims.
If you’re interested, tickets are on sale now from $10.

Miraval’s Month of Music Aims to Train Up Musos
The local music scene is under the pump, but wine brand Miraval is looking to do something about it by holding a series of six workshops throughout October aimed squarely at up-skilling our talented artists, and give them the opportunity to get into a fully-equipped studio.
‘The Studio by Miravale’ is returning, now in its second year, with the goal of teaching local musicians the skills needed to record vocals and spoken word, as well as music production, song writing, and finishing tracks. Plus, it’ll offer a dedicated Q&A session with industry insiders on how to get your foot in the door.
Spots are limited, though, so if you’re a musician looking for some guidance or wanting to learn some new skills, register your interest below.

Free Pancakes? Get to Taiwan Village this October!
One for the Melbournians—to celebrate the launch of a new street-food eatery in West Melbourne, opened by night-market inspired Taiwan Village, you can get a hold of free pancakes. In fact, between Taiwan Village’s Carlton and West Melbourne stores, 200 pancakes will be given away on Friday, 10 October.
No strings attached, you just have to turn up on time and order them at the counter.
“In Taiwan, pancakes and breakfast bites aren’t just for mornings — they’re part of an all-day food culture,” said Taiwan Village’s founder and head chef Jay Yi-Ming Huang. “From dawn till late at night, it’s always the right time.”
If you’re not into pancakes, Taiwan Village also offers bento bowls, noodles, rice bowls, and soups—just don’t expect to get them for free.

Hawke’s Brewery Hosting Shotgun Karaoke by Paul Dempsey
Hawke’s Brewery is already a pretty fun place to spend your evening (responsibly, of course), but this month the venue will be hosting a special event: a karaoke night, played by Paul Dempsey, on October 21.
Following on from the release of Dempsey’s second covers album—Shotgun Karaoke Volume II—the man himself will get up and play a bunch of other people’s songs for your entertainment.
Don’t expect perfect renditions, Dempsey insists: “Perfect karaoke would be boring. The whole point is to embrace the glorious messiness of it all.”
The event will also be free, but will be available only through a limited online ballot: so get in quick if this sounds like your thing.
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