Apron Fest wrapped in creative flair

Crafty committee: Ballarat Apron Festival’s Jill Packham and Emily Stewart are busy planning this year’s event alongside their fellow volunteers. Photo: CHIPPY RIVERA

ANY sewers and craft-lovers after a new year challenge are encouraged to create an apron to enter into the 2021 Ballarat Apron Festival.

Offering the same competition categories as the cancelled 2020 Festival, president Emily Stewart said the committee wanted to ensure submissions organised for last year could be included, showcased and celebrated.

“We’ve got our sustainability category, using sustainable materials for apron creation, a gardening theme, our more traditional heritage category which sees classic apron designs, and a yarn category as well,” she said.

“We’re introducing a bees category. We know bees and pollinators are front-of-mind for people at the moment, especially with food security and pollinator decline, so we want to tie in that love and appreciation, and encourage some pretty ‘out-there’ aprons.

“We have our trade apron section, wearable art category and our activist category where people can express their passions and share a message.”

Ms Stewart said community support has remained strong in the last 18 months since the last event. For some people, having a one-year Festival break has motivated their making.

“They were so excited for what would happen this year, and to have more time to work on their aprons.

“That craft community was so important through the lockdowns, taking their mind off things, expressing themselves and working on their aprons,” she said.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing what people have come up with this year. We think we’re going to have some absolutely fantastic entries in all categories, which is very exciting.”

In the coming months, entrants can send their creations to the committee. These will be shown in the Festival venue for two days, alongside market stalls, art displays and historical information.

Each category is sponsored and judged by a local group or business, who also supply a prize.

With six volunteers on the Festival committee, the organisation is a small one, always seeking more help.

For more information on entries and the Festival visit ballaratapronfestival.org.