Our Gala Dinner, on the circular veranda of the Wiradjuri Study Centre, will be a truly stellar event. On arrival, guests will be offered Wiradjuri-themed mocktails (the Study Centre is an alcohol-free zone) on the lawn and opportunities to mingle with some of the SkyFest guest artists and performers. The menu, to be prepared by Orange-based chef Gerald Power and his crew, from Indigenous Cultural Adventures, will include foods that Wiradjuri people have been enjoying for thousands of years, such as yabbies (freshwater crayfish), yellow belly (golden perch), and kangaroo seasoned with native herbs and spices. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options will also be available.

Before dinner and between courses and after dinner, guests will have opportunities to meet local elders as they model clothes from one of their projects, preview the SkyFest art exhibitions, interact with Space Play, Stalker Theatre’s astonishing XR (Extended Reality) installation, or take a guided tour of the universe with Donna The Astronomer from Milroy Observatory, Coonabarabran.