THERE was palpable ‘wow’ moment when the Margie Mackay inspired ‘Powerful Owl’ emerged from the rear of Saturday’s Ridgway Lantern Parade, and took its rightful place at the head affairs for what was a wonderful community celebration, during Mirboo North’s Winterfest over the weekend.
All day long, crowds had flocked into Baromi Park to enjoy a multicultural array of food, boutique beer and wine, to visit the displays in the new Artcubes and elsewhere, to join Australia’s leading African dance company, the Asanti Dance Theatre, on drums and to enjoy one of dozens of other activities and attractions.
They then sat down around campfires, enjoyed a meal, a drink and a chat and then gravitated to the main street for the Ridgway Lantern Parade, where local community groups and individuals set a high bar for future parades.
For a ‘Winterfest’, the weather was fine, almost balmy, and it encouraged a big crowd to turn out and line the streets.
Boolarra artists Gilbert Douglas and Margie Mackay provided one of the parade highlights but there were dozens of others, like the Mirboo North Women’s Cricket Club’s prancing tiger, the Greater Glider entry from the Preserve Our Forests Mirboo North group, the ‘Yes 23’ entry by the Bass Coast and South Gippsland referendum groups, the firelight parade by the Mirboo North and district CFA brigades, the playgroup and kinder entries and all those lanterns created at one or a number of workshop events, or even at home.
It was awesome and paved the way for evening music and more food.
Sunday, they came back again drawn by the centrepiece of the ‘ice’ skating rink, more food, more drink, more music and more fun.
“Delighted, exhausted,” said one of the co-ordinators Thomasin Bales, who incidentally held up one of the supports for the owl lantern.
“I do love these events, it makes me smile, especially the parade,” she said, who with her fellow conspirator Nicky Cawood, coordinated a wonderful community event.
“I loved the transition and the build up from a quiet afternoon in the park to the sense of occasion created by the drums and then everyone moving across for the parade. It was great.”
And they’ve committed to do it all again next year.
