“A RESOUNDING success!” That was how the chair of the Prom Coast Seachange Festival, Deb Bray, summed up this year’s festival which exploded across the district last weekend.
“The festival was very well attended and there was a real buzz in the air of the towns where festival events were taking place,” said Deb.
A true celebration of ‘creativity, culture, lifestyle and landscape,’ as the colourful program proudly proclaims, the festival takes over the Corner Inlet district every two years, with appeal for a wide range of people, so varied are the events on offer.
“As well as lots of locals out to enjoy themselves, over the weekend I met people who came to this area especially for the festival, in some cases specifically for certain events,” said Deb, clearly delighted.
She paid tribute to the festival sponsors and to the committee members who worked so hard to ensure this, the fourth Seachange Festival, was bigger and better than ever before.
Internationally-renowned Australian singer Margret RoadKnight was a guest performer and what a find she proved! As well as delighting audiences at Waratah Hills Vineyard at firstly a concert on Thursday evening and then a vocal workshop on Saturday, she entered into the fun of the festival with gusto. She was seen out and about enjoying the festival all weekend.
So many events, so much to choose from! It was impossible to get to everything, however much some people tried!
Also on Saturday there was the chance to take a canoe tour of the lower reaches of Stockyard Creek. The Corner Inlet Connections canoe tour provided a unique opportunity to experience the local landscape and estuarine habitat and learn more about the ecology, management and health of the Corner Inlet catchment.
Meanwhile, the Sustainable Architecture Tour provided participants with an insight into three of the area’s architecturally sustainable houses. Homeowners were on hand to provide commentary on features such as orientation, technology and materials that have contributed to a more environmentally sensitive way of building and living.
In addition to its Book Busking event on Saturday, Foster’s Little Bookshop was wall to wall with people popping in to meet authors Coleen Bower, whose book ‘Water Races & Tin Mines of Toora District’ was recently launched, and Carolyn Landon, author of ‘Jackson’s Track; Memoir of a Dreamtime Place’ and who is writing the life of botanical artist Celia Rosser.
Despite Sunday’s drizzle, good numbers still turned out to Foster’s Main Street and made the Street Food Festival a festive event. Local traders, producers and community groups provided tasty fare ranging from fish burgers to Vietnamese spring rolls, as well as cakes and icecream. They were supported by a crowd very sensibly rugged-up for the occasion. Toes were kept tapping and hands a-clapping by Karavana Flamenca, whose music added resoundingly to the atmosphere.
Raising the Rattler was part of the festival’s program on Saturday. Artist David Bell has been working on a ten metre high ‘stone’ and copper sculpture of a W Class tram in one of the sheds in Foster’s industrial estate. David kindly made his work-space available for a sneak peek of the tram and was on hand to talk about the design and build process involved in creating this one-of-a-kind sculpture commissioned by the City of Melbourne.
There was lots of other art on show during the festival. Most exhibitions will continue for at least another few days, giving even those who missed the Seachange Festival a chance to admire the talents of some of the Prom Coast’s many artists.
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