If you are looking for a great reason to make a trip to the wonderful town of Newstead in Victoria’s Central Goldfields region look no further because in just over a month they will be hosting the fifth Village Winter Festival.
Light your creative fire at this year’s Village Winter Festival as the community of the Central Goldfields gathers to celebrate the Winter solstice in spectacular style; it’s part carnival, part village fair and part arts festival.
Now running biennially, the 2018 event has changed venue and will be held at Newstead Racecourse. With a much larger location, this allows the creative folk at The Village to stretch out and to create an arena-style spectacular fire event at dusk (read more about that below). Much loved local artists will be taking center stage throughout the festival, beginning at 2pm and playing right through to midnight. There will also be theatre, music, dance, circus, installations and lots of interactive activities for both kids and grown-ups.
The Fire Spectacular will breathe pyrotechnics into the cool, crisp air. With much more than fireworks, this multi-dimensional show is a community phenomenon on a grand scale. Local pyrotechnics and special effects expert John Sanderson will paint the sky, choreographing colour to music. This event will showcase local creatives from Castlemaine Secondary College music students to local Newstead sculptor Roger McKindley and local feral cars! You can also contribute to this amazing fire spectacle by helping to build our fire effigy “the boat of no return”.
Throughout the festival, you can spark your curiosity and explore the alternative utopian world of The Village created amongst Indian wedding tents, random caravans and warming communal fires. Visit Gherkin Khan’s Amusement Alcazar, pick up a bargain at the Dutch-inspired, Kids Flea Market and show off your best friend in the Famous Village Dog Show. There’s kid’s puppetry in Pearly White, nautical themed story-telling in Temperance and wacky outfits in the Wrongtown Boutique. On the Village main stage, be entertained by the likes of Kavisha Mazzella, Blunderbuss and La Descarga Band.
The World Kitchen is a performative food stage that will be hosting food demonstrations ranging from serious to spurious. This year The World Kitchen will host local cooks from a refugee background, inviting attendees to hear some fascinating stories and sample dishes from across the globe, plus Chef Peter will teach kids how to cook food fit for a monster. And of course, you will be able to find a variety of warming winter meals and snacks, plus a great bar with beverages from the surrounding region.
When & Where: Newstead Racecourse, Newstead – June 23, 2pm to 12midnight. For more info, visit www.thevillagefestival.com.au.
It’s only $15 for adults, $10 for concession, $5 for 13-17 year olds, and free for kids 12 and under.
Written by Chloe Cicero