Wiradjuri Country
The old Portland Cement Works was the beating heart of Portland for nearly 100 years, and after a brief rest it is coming alive again hosting all manner of community events. If the workers of the cement works were told people would want to get married in the old Powerhouse or visit for markets or community events in years to come, they would never have believed it! After just a few short years, the Foundations has become a magnet for arts, cultural and community events as the space is reimagined.
The Portland Cement Works stands on land traditionally owned by the Wiradjuri people.
Festival of Small Halls rolls into Portland on Wednesday, 14 April 2021 with Bobby Alu and This Way North.
Doors open 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
Tickets available online here
BBQ dinner available (vego option) as well as soft drinks for purchase.
Please note: There is a disability access ramp into the hall, but we do not have have an accessible toilet on site.
Festival of Small Halls Portland will be supported by local act Ron van der Zwaag. Ron serves up melodic slices of country-tinged folk-pop with strong hooks and bittersweet lyrics. Unpolished nuggets collected from stolen moments in a back room.
Ron van der Zwaag has been recording his original songs at home as solo projects since 2007 and shares them on online platforms, (Soundcloud , Youtube, Bandcamp etc.)
He sings and plays all the instruments, guitar, keyboards, percussion and ukulele.
Over the past 4 years or so Ron has been performing his original material in his local Bathurst region whenever he can. Mostly street performance, but also the odd appearance playing markets, cafes and pubs. His songs are a mix of folk/pop and country/pop tunes featuring lyrics that are often frivolous, but always grownup.
Although Bathurst based, Ron developed a connection with Portland from 2014 to 2018 when he taught music at the local school.
At the 2018 Gulgong Folk Festival he was offered a Sunday morning bracket at the Gulgong Opera House after being spotted busking in the street. He was on the bill at the following year’s 2019 Gulgong Folk Festival and was well received by those who attended his performances.
He’ll be playing later this year at the 2021 Northern Beaches Music Festival in November.
You must not attend the event if you have COVID-19 symptoms – if you become unwell after purchasing a ticket please be reassured it can be refunded in full if you need to go and get tested. If you have a cough, fever, sore throat, fatigue, shortness of breath or fell unwell, please protect your community and stay home.
It is a condition of entry that physical distancing be observed.