Port Fairy Warms Up
Inclement weather was not enough to deter families from enjoying the free entertainment, having a sausage or a last minute chat with Santa at the start of this year's Port Fairy's Moyneyana Festival.
Chairman Reg Harry said “The Committee members were very pleased with the number that attended the opening night of the festival on the Village Green.”
The Rotary Club's Christmas lights competition was bright and sparkling this year with the winners as follows:
• Margaret O'Neill – 1st Place
• Christina Quinn – 2nd Place
• Encouragement Award – Tina Parsons
The best dress family award went to the Watts family with family members Anita Watts, Alana Hansford and Stephen Newton-Watts. 2 nd Place went to Hannah Mathews.
Raffle Winners were:
• Cricket Club Raffle - Skin Hatley
• Sea Scouts Raffle - Isaac Sinnott
• The Traders Lucky Shopper - Julie Russell
The Lifeline shop won this year's best dressed window with a great Australian a theme. Well done to all winners and other participants and we hope to see you again for a great Christmas next year!
After a wet and breezy Christmas Eve the Moyneyana festival continues with lots of activities and events including the famous Moyneyana New Year's Eve parade.
The 28th December sees the performance of Handel's Messiah, conducted by Faye Dumont and featuring many wonderful soloists and musicians. Don't miss it this Thursday at St Johns Anglican Church Hall.
On Friday 29th December the 3YB Musicfest will be held on at the Village Green featuring local musicians, with a variety of music including rock-and-roll, Irish and country music. At 8pm see the opening of the ever popular Belfast Lions Art Show at the Senior Citizens Hall, Barclay Street , Port Fairy. View the variety of art work on display 10am to 5.30pm daily from 29th December to 6th January.
New Year's Activities:
- The Moyneyana Open swim
- Heats and the championship of the Backwards Sprint (Retro Race)
- New Years Eve floats and street procession ($3000 prizes)
- Free entertainment including bands Bushwahzee & Claymore
- Not to forget the midnight fireworks
The Moyneyana 1.2 kilometer open water swim is in the protected waters of East Beach with registration at the Surf Life-Saving Club at 10 am will again attract a very large number of participants and enthusiastic supporters.
New Year's Eve brings FREE entertainment in the town centre, provided through the support of the sponsors and the Moyneyana Festival committee.
The popular backwards, or retro running, heats will be run in the morning on Southcombe Park and the finals in the main street at 7.30 pm
The Bushwahzee Band, specialising in song and dance, which involves the audience, will perform on the Village Green with craft and street stalls nearby.
The parade at 8 pm has been held for 59 years. Started as a fund-raiser for the local hospital, it has become an icon event in south-west Victoria , with $3000 prize money available for participants in the procession, with the champion float receiving $500. In line with the theme of the this year's festival ‘100 years of Surf Life Saving' , there will be prizes for the best Surf Life Saving Theme, Beach prize senior and junior prize, a youth entry and prizes for the best historical and nautical themes, rescue theme, industry award, car, band and best family entry. Entry forms for the procession are still available at the Visitor Information Centre, Bank Street .
After the parade live music will be provided by the well known Scottish band ‘Claymore' on the Village Green, leading to a midnight fireworks spectacular.
New Year's Day will see the Moyne River wharf precinct the centre of attractions, starting with a morning craft market and display of classic and wooden boats with a 2 pm sail past. At 3.30 pm the Port Fairy Surf Life Saving Club's Duck Derby will be held and ticket holders of the 1000 floating ducks will cheer for their duck to be first across the line .
Grab yourself a program from the Visitor Information Centre 5568 2682 or one of our many sponsors and plan a great holiday today. Most of all stay safe and enjoy yourself.
