Seaside festival boosted by grant

The new Port MacDonnell Bay Festival to be held in February next year has been resurrected, thanks in no small part to a recent State Government cash injection.

Last held in 2020 as the Bay Escape, the refreshed festival format aims to appeal to a broader audience both intra and interstate, with events on offer to include culinary experiences, immersive Aboriginal cultural experiences, and a citizen-science meets art project.

The February 2025 event will showcase the unique cultural, natural and historic assets of its unspoiled coastal destination.

The Port MacDonnell event was one of 37 regional events and festivals across South Australia that earlier this month received a financial boost in the latest round of the South Australian Tourism Commission’s Regional Event Fund.

The Regional Event Fund aims to support the development of new and innovative regional events and grow existing events, while driving visitation and economic stimulus across regional South Australia.

Port MacDonnell Bay Festival spokesperson Stephen Johnstone welcomed the windfall.

“The Bay Festival is an exciting opportunity for local businesses to come together to celebrate Port MacDonnell with thousands of festivalgoers,” he said.

“After a five-year hiatus, the reimagined festival will benefit from the Regional Event Fund support, allowing us to spread the word far and wide, enticing people to discover what makes Port MacDonnell such a special destination.

“We want the Bay Festival to grow year on year and gain national and international attention for Port MacDonnell as a world-class nature and sustainable tourism destination.”

South Australian Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said she was thrilled to see such a diverse range of events supported in this year’s Regional Event Fund, which are set to showcase the best of South Australia’s unique regions and world-class hospitality.

“Delivered through the South Australian Tourism Commission, the Regional Event Fund is an important initiative that supports a thriving events calendar across our state, helping trigger visitation as those thinking about exploring our state commit to a trip,” she said.

“With 43 cents in every tourism dollar spent in the regions, it is important we continue to drive visitation across regional South Australia and this Fund aims to do just that.”

The 2024-25 Fund supports events that are staged from September 1 this year to August 31 next year.