Heritage Fest to turn back time

THE city’s streets will be awash with all things retro from today until next weekend with the return of the award-winning Ballarat Heritage Festival.

Past-century clothing and vintage vehicles will decorate the region with events aimed at placing attendees in eras long gone.

The 10-day event is being hosted by the City of Ballarat as well as community groups, and mayor Cr Des Hudson said it’s about celebrating the city’s history.

“[The event] I think, is really a demonstration that people love getting behind what is an absolute icon of Ballarat, which is of course heritage that we’re known for,” he said.

“Things from the Tweed Ride to the Candlelit Concert at Civic Hall, from food to artisan type of crafts, it will really have something for everyone.

“The economic benefit to the city last year was I think in excess of $1 million peripheral spend so we would expect similar.”

More than 100 events will take place including festival staples like the Ballaarat Antique Fair and the Ballarat Beard and Stache Competition, and new attractions like the Candlelit Concerts and The Great Takeaway.

Like last year, Lydiard Street will be closed off for the Vintage Car Show this Sunday, which Ballarat Vintage and Classic Car Club captain Brendan Stevens said will expand on their previous display.

“It’s a terrific event,” he said. “You don’t often get to display old cars in front of beautiful old buildings in a closed road.

“This year we have actually got the full length of the street so there’ll be vehicles from 1910 through to the early 80s spread out all up and down the street and along the centre as well.

“It’s as good as any museum you’d see around the world all gathered in one space. We’ve got about 120 vehicles. I think there’s about 30 bikes and five or six big trucks.”

Roving entertainers from the Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts will take to the streets in past-century clothing while singing, dancing, and playing era-appropriate games.

Director, Paula Heenan said the group has been taking part in the festival for about four years and that there’ll be plenty of variety from them.

“We’ll have about 50 kids rotating through the different activities from 10am to 3pm each day,” she said.

“We’ve got a lead character playing Lola Montez depicted in the 1850s doing the spider dance which she was infamous for. We’ll be performing on the 20th, 21st, 27th and 28th.”