Make the most of this long weekend with the Strathalbyn Show and the Women’s Keelboat Regatta, while Mental Health Awareness Month begins.

Words Elisabeth Marie

Feeling good

October is Mental Health Awareness Month in South Australia, with the aim of improving community awareness of mental health and wellbeing. The 2022 theme is “Connecting with Community” and seeks to encourage all South Australians to reach out to those who could be isolated. By connecting with our community, individuals can support their own wellbeing as well as each other’s. The 2022 program for Mental Health Awareness Month includes comedy shows, art exhibitions with works from South Australian creatives living with complex mental health challenges, movie screenings to teach children about body positivity, and the Festival of Now which promotes community connections and celebrates mental health, creativity and inclusiveness.

Sailing free

Hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, the inaugural South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta will be held from October 1 to 3 in the sparkling waters of Gulf St Vincent. The regatta is aimed at women currently participating in sailing who are looking to enjoy the company, competition and camaraderie of other female sailors. On Tuesday, October 4 a wine tour will be held in the Clare Valley for participants and volunteers of the regatta with a long lunch at the George Family Winery.

It’s showtime

The Strathalbyn Show is celebrating its 150^th anniversary on Monday, October 3. Held at the start of the spring show season for the Southern Fleurieu, the weekend includes an equestrian competition on Sunday, October 2 at the Strathalbyn Polo Grounds. Show Day is located in the heart of the township and is a day full of family fun. In celebration of the 150^th anniversary, there will be traditional cooking classes, a wood chopping competition, blacksmith demonstrations and cheese making. Show highlights include carnival rides, live music, children’s entertainment, livestock exhibits and competitions for all skills. There will also be fresh produce for sale with local producers and trade sites.

Beachside ballads

Soak in the seaside sun as the Semaphore Music Festival returns with a lineup of blues, roots and folk music. Over the October long weekend, Australian acts Kings & Associates, Lazy Eye and Ella & Sienna will take to the beachside stage at the Semaphore Worker’s Club, with plenty of other performances taking place across local venues. A pop-up market will grace the foreshore with local artisans and food peoducers offering an abundance of products to peruse between performances.

Shining lights

Australians will unite to shine a light on blood cancer on Friday, September 30 with the virtual Light the Night fundraiser hosted by the Leukaemia Foundation. Funds raised during the event will help the Leukaemia Foundation light someone’s way through the darkest times following a leukaemia diagnosis by providing support for families through every challenge and every uncertain moment. Participants will choose from different coloured lanterns as a symbol – gold to remember loved ones lost, white to honour those battling or who have won the fight and blue to show support.

Paint like Picasso

Become Picasso for a day at the Pewsey Vale Vineyard with a painting class amongst the vines on October 1 or 2. Spend two hours painting the Pewsey Vale Vineyard while enjoying a delectable menu of South Australia’s best seafood, including kingfish, tuna, oysters and smoked barramundi paired with four fresh riesling wines. All materials will be provided for the art class, so guests can sit back, indulge and let their creativity soar.