Celtic Culture

**木曜日・ジャパンナイト 🇯🇵（Hikari Social Melbourne）** 日本文化や日本語に興味のある方のための、カジュアルで楽しい交流イベントです。 新しい友達を作ったり、リラックスしながら会話を楽しみましょう。 お一人での参加も大歓迎です。スタッフがサポートしますので、初めての方でも安心してご参加いただけます。 🎟 **特典：日本人の方は19時まで入場無料** 📍 **The Oxford Scholar（メルボルンCBD）** 🕕 **18:00〜22:00** *** ## 🇬🇧 English (for reference / below it) **Thursday Japan Night 🇯🇵 (Hikari Social Melbourne)** A casual and fun social event for anyone interested in Japanese culture and language. Meet new people, make friends, and enjoy relaxed conversations in a friendly environment. Most people come alone, and our hosts will help introduce you so you feel comfortable right away. 🎟 **Special: Free entry for Japanese before 7:00PM** 📍 **The Oxford Scholar (Melbourne CBD)** 🕕 **6:00PM – 10:00PM**

**HIKE OVERVIEW:** **The Castlemaine to Maldon Rail Trail is a 16.7km, moderate hike which runs parallel to the Victorian Goldfields Railway. It passes through bushland, farmland and some gold-era historical sites.** **We will start and meet at Castlemaine Train Station and walk towards Maldon. Our route will take us via Muckleford Train Station.** **We will return back to Castlemaine aboard the steam train operated by the Victorian Goldfields Railway. This historic railway served rural Victoria from 1880 through to the 1970’s and has been restored to its former glory.** **Excursion class one way tickets are $37 ($32 concession) and once you have confirmed your attendance, I will advise here in comments when to book your one-way ticket from Maldon. Please wait for the go-ahead to book your tickets as the event may be suspended if we don’t attract enough interest.** ***when advised*** **you can book your tickets at the following link:** [Book train ticket](https://secure.vgr.com.au/BookingCat/Availability/) **USEFUL LINKS:** **For more details on the route including the gradient involved please see the links below.** [https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/australia/victoria/railway-track-maldon-to-castlemaine?sh=uoghfo](https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/australia/victoria/railway-track-maldon-to-castlemaine?sh=uoghfo) [https://www.vgr.com.au/](https://www.vgr.com.au/) **Lunch** **Lunch: In Maldon we will stop for lunch at the Maldon Hotel, 58 Main St.** [Maldon Hotel](https://www.google.com.au/search?client=safari&hs=mGY&sca_esv=b3ca9c57de57aa89&channel=41&biw=393&bih=641&sxsrf=ANbL-n5zcNoRt1nlnk20vEuCOQZJ3tv4UQ%3A1778719407548&kgmid=%2Fg%2F1tdfyvxv&q=Maldon%20Hotel&shem=rimspwouoe&shndl=30&source=sh%2Fx%2Floc%2Fact%2Fm4%2F3) **BEING PREPARED:** 1. **Arrange your transport** 1. **Check the weather forecast** 1. **Suitable footwear / clothing** 1. **Plenty of water / food / snacks** **RSVP’s / START TIME:** **Plans change, but please keep your RSVP up to date to allow others the chance to attend. Aim to arrive 15 minutes before the start time and message if you are running late. Remember that phone reception won't always be available so contact me as soon as possible if required.** **NOTIFICATIONS:** **All notifications will come via the Meetup app. Ensure you have enabled alerts & check the app in the lead up to an event. Notifications may include; comments, instructions & cancellations.** **QUESTIONS:** **Please feel free to post any questions.**

**Beginner Dungeons & Dragons Night (No Experience Needed)** Play a fantasy story with a small group. Make choices. Solve problems. Work together. It’s fun, social, and easy to get into. **What is this Event** This is a beginner-friendly D&D game. You don’t need to know anything. Most people are new. We teach as we play. **Small groups (limited spots**) Tables of 5–6 players, we wont take anymore than this at a time. Usually 12–18 total spots in total. If you see a spot you can make, take it. They fill. **What happens when you arrive** You don’t need to bring anything You’ll be seated shortly after you arrive Most people come alone You will not be the only one. **What you’ll do** Play a character in a fantasy story Make choices with your group Talk, explore, and solve problems Roll dice and see what happens Expect funny and memorable moments. **What you don’t need to worry about** You don't need to know rules new people won't slow the group down Don't need to bring anything We guide you the whole way. **Who this is for** You work a 9–5 and want to meet new people after work or on weekends. You enjoy fantasy stories, books or games You want to try dungeons and dragons You want a curated story games night with tactics and roleplay. If you like Baldur’s Gate or Divinity, you’ll have a strong idea about what your getting into. **Sessions** 3-hour games Run by experienced Dungeon Masters 2–3 tables each night This week’s games may include: *Cordelia* – Dark fantasy adventure *Isle of the Grave* – Mystery and survival *The Cost of Ascension* – Power, trust, and betrayal Before the event You may get a message from the organiser. Please reply to keep your spot. **Attendance policy** Cancel early if you can’t make it No-shows or late cancels may lose future spots **Donations** We take small donations to support the event and our hosts.

**SoulTime Nillumbik** is back! And we’re very excited to introduce...***SoulTime Kids!*** After a short hiatus over the past few months, we’re really looking forward to gathering again and reconnecting as a community. SoulTime offers a welcoming space for **reflection, meaningful conversation and connection** in a peaceful setting overlooking nature. Sessions include gentle music, short readings from diverse cultures and perspectives, and open discussion around uplifting themes relevant to everyday life. This month, we'll be exploring **Happiness - what contributes to happiness within us, and around us.** To help make SoulTime more accessible for families, we’re now also offering ***SoulTime Kids*** — a parallel session for primary-aged children while adults attend the main gathering. Children will enjoy creative, reflective and values-based activities facilitated by a qualified primary school teacher (with Working With Children Check). SoulTime remains open to everyone, regardless of background, beliefs or life stage. Light refreshments will be served following the group discussion. We hope you can join us! 🌿

Modern life moves fast. Work, screens, notifications, constant thinking. It’s easy to feel stressed, tired, or disconnected. This Sunday, slow down with Kirtan - a powerful live music meditation experience. Come for: ✨ Singing, dancing, and uplifting energy ✨ A calm mind and open heart ✨ A real sense of belonging No singing skills needed! Just calmness & connection. 🗓️Sunday \| 6\-8pm 🍴Incl Dinner 📍South Melbourne

Hi all! Welcome to the Melbourne Sci-Fi/Fantasy Social Catch-up. Come along and talk to like-minded people and catch up on all the things you love about this genre. Be it the latest movies, TV shows, or a book you love; or maybe, you have played this fabulous board or computer game that you just want to share with others. Geeky t-shirts or quirky badges welcome! What a great chance to chat with new people or old friends about so many diverse topics. You never know, you might find a whole new sub-genre to delve into. New and old members are welcome to attend. Food and drink will be available for purchase at the tavern. If your plans change (even if it is at the last moment), please change your RSVP to a NO, so your event host knows who to expect on the day and so I can manage the booking at the Mitre Tavern! See you soon 🤓🤓🤓🤓

Come and join us for our sixth Melbourne Craft Circle event :) Oasis was a good venue so we'll be holding events there for now. If you have any accessibility needs or questions about the group feel free to message me. Otherwise just click attending and show up with your craft or art. Hope to see you there! 🧶

Due to popularity, we are doing another walk, talk, lunch and coffee, this time as requested, in the city. Fitroy Gardens. Ticket here: [Walk, talk and lunch - Fitzroy Gardens](https://www.trybooking.com/DMDSE) Meeting at Kere Kere Green cafe, on the grassed area. It's a nice open space to meet, mingle, talk before making our way around the gardens, over to The Tan and back. Meeting at 10:30am, starting walk around the gardens at 11am, walk shall take about 70 mins, to then make our way back to Kere Kere Green Cafe. Grab your coffee as we meet and then lunch once we make it back. The cafe has seating inside/outside or we can stand on the outside grassed area. There is prospect of rain but come prepared with umbrella and rain coat. If it is too wet, we can just stay at cafe for a coffee. Dogs welcomed! Please do NOT be late, smell of alcohol/be hungover (Sober Sunday) or have bad BO. Being a Sunday, there should be parking around, plenty of public transport options as well. Your ticket goes towards the associated costs of running the group and it is ONLY $5! ## Date

# **Saturday, May 16, 2026** **Beginners’ Session 1:30 to 2:00 PM** **Dancing 2:00 to 4:30 PM** **Please note that this is an afternoon dance!** **You are invited to join us for dinner at Olive and Lime (in the church’s back parking lot) after the dance.** **Kim Thompson, from Athens, will take the mic and we’ll dance to the music of Roscommon Sessions. Kim will lead us through a variety of old and new dances that welcome newbies and delight experienced dancers.** **Roscommon Sessions, a traditional Irish music quartet from Columbus, Ohio, began their musical journey centered around the energy and spontaneity of Irish sessions. They are excited to bring their lively jigs and reels, a couple of flowing waltzes, and the occasional musical surprise to the All Soles contra dancers!** **Roscommon Sessions is Steve Steele (guitar), Jim Lindroth (percussion), Carol Metheny (fiddle) and Sarah Sigmon (fiddle).** **We hope to see you dancing!** **Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Road, Columbus, OH 43214.** **Cost is $10 for adults, $5 ages 12-25.** **New to dancing? A beginners’ session, from 1:30 to 2:00 PM, will get you started. You will learn some basic figures that will be repeated in the afternoon’s dances. All dances will be taught and no partner is needed. Dancing is from 2:00 to 4:30 PM.** **Please bring your own refillable water bottle.** **All Soles Dance upcoming dance dates are, as follows:** **June 20, 2026** **Tentative:** **July 25, 2026–Summer Potluck and Dance** **No August Dance** **September 26, 2026** **October 17, 2026** **November 21, 2026** **December 19, 2026** **Visit our website at: https://firstuucolumbus.org/connection/all-soles/**

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** TBD **YouTube Link** TBD

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!