The inaugural Queensberry Cup is a billycart race and street festival and is now less than two weeks away.

More than just a race, the festival reflects, celebrates, and supports the local residents, businesses, students, and workers of our dynamic inner-city surburbs, North Melbourne and West Melbourne.

With the pandemic now officially over, this is the perfect chance to get together and celebrate! For one afternoon and evening, Errol St. and Queensberry St. will be closed and turned over to a range of creative and cultural activities.

Billy Cart Race: The centrepiece of the event, reflecting the neighbourhood’s rich automotive history. In backyards, in scout halls, at the Peter Mac Mens Shed and at Melbourne North Service Centre, teams have been designing and building their speed machines.It’s not too late to get involved. There are three days a week that the Mens Shed is open for billycart builders, and they have lots of 12mm ply. Register for the race or book in for the maker sessions. If the standard registration cost is an issue, use the Promo Code MAKEITCHEAP on check-out until 15 October for 75% discount.And for those who haven’t been able to make a vehicle, there is still the opportunity to race down the hill in one of our “house billycarts”.

The Famous Village Dog Show: An old Spring Fling favourite! Local residents bring their dogs and participate in fun, light-hearted competition. Special prizes for families and dogs that dress up alike. Great prizes thanks to local pet shop Paw Principality (local pet shop), and supporting the stellar work of Lort Smith Animal Hospital. It all gets underway at 2:30pm. Register here, or just come on the day.

For the Kids: As well as the thrill of watching billycarts careen down Queensberry St., there are plenty for kids to get involved with. Who doesn’t love face-painting, plus the Games Alleyway features La Boca, a unique collaborative box-building game, City of Melbourne’s Library Van, a range of arts activities and juggling workshops with Circus Nexus. Plus lots of fun with The Mudcakes at 1:30pm.

Music and Dance: Melbourne’s most exciting, eclectic, emerging and talented musicians, with grooves from across the globe. Ethio-funksters Black Jesus Experience leads a line-up that also includes hip-hop from L to R Dance, South African a capella with Makepisi (pictured), smoth Brazilian sounds from Alcides Neto, anarchic BBQ punk with The Burnt Sausages, DJ Camillo and DJ General Feelings, Sing NoW! Community Choir, Vietnamese and Chinese dance groups, singer-songwriters Yvonne Martin, Sian Brook and Alana Shrives, kindie-rockers The Mudcakesand much more.

Food & Drink: The local festival area is replete with diverse, quality food and beverage options. We’re supporting local traders and community groups. Get your tasty treats from Mr. Tucker, snag a snag from North Melbourne Rotary, Somali Womens Development Association, vareniki from Ukrainian Association, plus everything Errol St. has to offer. For those looking for a drink of the grown-up variety, local gin distillery, Here’s Looking at You Kid is operating a bar and launching a brand new gin, Errol St. Blues.

From the art room