CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS A HUGE SUCCESS
Local families and visitors alike were unanimous with their praise after the launch of this year's very special 60th anniversary of the Moyneyana Festival on Christmas Eve. The BBQ and Citizens Band set the scene for an enjoyable evening with children on alert for their favourite fellow. The youngsters were especially excited when Santa and Mrs Claus arrived resplendent in their red and white trademark outfits. They were soon surrounded by their cheering fans with some little folk overwhelmed by the spectacle. With his usual professional nature Santa took the young crowd onto his knee and chatting with children and adults. Thanks to the team at the NAB who sponsored the Christmas goodies Santa gave out this year.
Chairman Reg Harry said “The Committee members were very pleased with the number of people who attended and obviously enjoyed the opening night of the festival on the Village Green.”
The Rotary Club's Christmas lights competition was a bright and sparkling event again this year with the winners as follows:
1st Place L & J Griffin – Yambuk 2nd Place Greg & Betty Hyland – Port Fairy Encouragement Award Hazel & Danny Watts – Port Fairy
The best dressed Christmas Family Award went to the Willett family with family Zahra, Ethan and Mum 2nd Place getter was Margaret Bennett- Chanley and Jack Chandley and 3rd Place Jodie and Oscar Hill. This year there was an outstanding effort with a large number of families dressing up and getting into the festive spirit.
Raffle Winners were:
• Cricket Club Raffle Danni-Lee Dalton
• Sea Scouts Raffle Lisa Bayliss
• The Traders Lucky Shopper was drawn by Ray Stokie, this years lucky winner of a $2000 Pamper Hamper was Kay Sharp and Lily Serong was the lucky winner of the 2nd prize valued at $1000.
Mclean's Pharmacy won this year's best dressed window.
Well done to all winners and other participants and we hope to see you again for a great Christmas next year!
The Moyneyana festival Countdown and Update of events this week concludes with the famous Moyneyana New Year's Eve parade. If you haven't obtained your copy of the Moyneyana Festival programme yet please visit the Visitor Information Centre for a copy. Programmes are also available from various local traders.
30th Dec : 11am approx start Moyneyana Ocean Swim : from Surf Life Saving Club East Beach. An excellent and popular spectator event. 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.
Further information from SLSC 5568 2246.
New Year's Eve: FREE entertainment in the town centre, provided through the support of the sponsors and the Moyneyana Festival committee.
The popular backwards sprint or retro running race: 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 interactive song and dance, will perform on the Village Green with craft and street stalls nearby.
The New Year's Eve Parade at 8pm: This year's New Year's Parade celebrates 60 years of continuous interactive community involvement. Whilst the carrot of winning a proportion of the $3000 cash prize pool may be the initial enticement, historically entrants find they have so much fun that the prize money becomes secondary. Sign up, join the fun whether a private individual or an organization, participation is the name of the game. The theme for this year's festival is ‘60 Years of Celebration' let your imagination run wild.
The parade, which last summer attracted an estimated 15,000 spectators, will give participants the opportunity to showcase a range of historical floats. If post war 1940's when the jitterbug babes were cool is your fancy, then organise the family and party through town. Or perhaps the 50's when James Dean and Elvis ruled in stovepipe jeans, blue suede shoes and attitude is more your style, or maybe the swinging 60's when Mods and the Beatles ruled and man walked on the moon. The 70's, when platform shoes, flares and disco balls were grouse might be your style, or, wait for it, was the 80's your fave? when padded shoulders, big hair and ABBA swamped the airways. The young ones today have never experienced any of our history, so previous generations, amaze them with your creativity and style . 90's and noughties babes can be NOW or be THEN.
The New Year's Eve celebration will include two groups this year, the Scottish band ‘Claymore' and Irish band ‘Ploughboys' who will provide continuous entertainment on the Village Green from 9pm until midnight . The annual fireworks spectacular will spark up at midnight to bring in the New Year with a bang.
New Year's Day
Jan 1 st 9am-2pm: will see the Moyne River wharf precinct the centre of attractions, starting with a morning craft market and display of classic and wooden boats.
2pm : Port Fairy Wooden & Classic Boat sail past on the Moyne River .
3.30pm : the Port Fairy Surf Life Saving Club's Duck Derby will be held and ticket holders of the1000 floating ducks will cheer for their duck to be first across the line .
Jan 2nd - Jan 4th : The Lions Club Art Show is in it's 24th year and is celebrating with a new event this year called Artists on the Village Green. The idea is to bring art to the wider community and will enable the general public to watch artists at work, a rare treat in itself, and it's FREE. There will be an auction of the works on the Village Green with proceeds donated to the local branch of The Breast Cancer Council. Auction: Friday January 4th at 5pm
There are 6 artists registered to date;
Mary Gibb - Port Fairy, Jan Hetherington - Penshurst, Sandra Lewis- Hamilton, Tony Eccles,
Murray Jennings and Robin Lake - Warrnambool.
Artists Brief: To complete a work from a photo of a Historic Building in Port Fairy
Times: 3 - 5pm each day
For information on our fun festival, children's activities and CBD Alive call into the Visitor Information Centre, Bank St, Tel: 55682 628 or contact Chairman Mr Reg Harry on 0438 681 237.
