WHILE the weather outside may have been grey, the atmosphere inside the Bass Coast Adult Learning (BCAL) centre was anything but, as the Wonthaggi Winter Fantasy Festival lit up the centre with colour and creativity on Wednesday, June 25.
Hosted by experienced local performer, Jess Rigby, who brought an unrivalled enthusiasm to her emceeing, the festival carried a theme of Sealife, Whimsy and Circus, a “bright and colourful” escape from the cold, according to BCAL’s Strategic Marketing Coordinator Glo-Ann D’Souza.
“It gets depressing in the Wintertime,” she said. “We wanted something bright and colourful.”
Art teacher and organiser Camille Monet echoed that sentiment, saying: “Outside is miserable. But in here, we are vibrant and happy.”
And that certainly rang true. From the moment you walked through the doors of the BCAL centre, it felt like you were stepping into a world brimming with energy and expression.
Music filled the air thanks to lively performances by Miguel Ovejero of Karavana Flamenca, along with Bill Street and Ian Burke, setting the tone for what was, unlike the Wonthaggi weather, a warm celebration.
At the heart of the event was a costume parade unlike any other. Volunteers paraded one-by-one down the halls of BCAL, each dressed in imaginative, sea-inspired costumes created by BCAL’s art students using recycled and found materials.
From a towering Queen of the Sea to a tentacled octopus and even pink seaweed, each look told a story – not only of creativity but also sustainability. One costume was even remade from last year’s design, a clear nod to the event’s environmentally conscious focus.
Glo-Ann touched on the importance of hosting inclusive events like this. “The students often come to do their learning, but in Winter it’s nice to have something bright that brings them all together and lifts their spirits.”
Hair and beauty students at BCAL added their flair too, styling the participants’ hair and painting faces to match the theme.
Camille took a moment at the end of the parade to thank everyone for attending and gave a heartfelt acknowledgement to BCAL for hosting the event.
“We’ve made this small space work,” she said. “And this small space is made of love. We are lucky we have this amazing space to share.”
Guests were then treated to a hearty meal of dhal, roti, rice and curry, all prepared by BCAL’s cooking teacher Melissa Harrison and her students.
The festival showed that you can turn even the gloomiest winter day into something magical.