Winter fest declared a success

ORGANISERS behind this year’s Ballarat Winter Festival are reflecting on another successful offering.

Crowds of people, both residents and visitors, braved the colder climate to take part in the program, which ran from late June towards the end of July.

Tens of thousands of attendees are estimated to have participated in activities, and City of Ballarat mayor Cr Des Hudson said the festival provided an array of accessible experiences.

“We are thrilled to see the Ballarat Winter Festival achieve such outstanding results in bringing money to the city, but also providing locals and visitors with some fantastic entertainment,” he said.

“At a time when a lot of people are feeling cost of living pressures, we feel the Winter Festival truly delivered by providing affordable, family-friendly activities and further cemented Ballarat’s reputation as an events destination.”

The year marked the 10th iteration of the pop-up ice rink at Armstrong Street, adjacent to Town Hall, which saw more than 15,000 participants get their skates on.

It’s estimated more than 900 people who took to the rink made use of a 15 per cent discount eligible for those who spent $25 or more at a local tourism business or hospitality service.

The Ballarat Mining Exchange played host to major events including Candlelight Concerts which saw nearly 600 attendees giving feedback, and the Design Exchange market which brought in 1800 people.

The venue also hosted the inaugural Obsidian Dark Beer Festival, which drew in more than 400 participants.

Sovereign Hill deputy CEO, Katrina Nitschke, said this year’s festival tied into a 10-year milestone for the living museum.

“Generating on average over $20 million into the Ballarat economy each year, Winter Wonderlights continued to shine and delight in its tenth year,” she said.

“Winter Wonderlights dazzled for three weeks, with Saturday 13 July becoming the museum’s biggest visitation day ever recorded, with over 10,000 visitors in one day.”

The festival’s economic impact will be assessed by the City of Ballarat over the coming weeks.