Community festival a triumph

THE VOLUNTEER team behind a beloved Moorabool festival have outdone themselves once again, with this year’s event the biggest ever.

The Ballan Autumn Festival’s flagship Grand Parade, art displays, classic cars, live music, more than 100 stalls, and much more, all combined for a fantastic day for the thousands of attendees on Sunday 17 March.

While a Ballan autumn can sometimes be chilly, the delayed summer warmth continuing into March meant the energy and good vibes of the day were complemented by sunshine.

A self-described member of the ‘Old Guard’, 16-year contributor and current President of the BAF Committee, Kevin Harper, said many people had described this year’s Festival as the best yet.

“What makes this year stand out for me, and for the Festival team, is the breadth and dedication of local involvement,” Mr Harper said.

“From the first meeting, our major action point was to engage the entire town, and we stayed true to that vision, bringing together artists, entrepreneurs, and event planners in a seamless blend of creativity and organisation.”

While the Ballan Autumn Festival traditionally has a theme – last year’s was superheroes, for example – this year the Committee instead decided to make the Festival a celebration of Ballan and surrounds.

Sunday’s festivities were the result of collaboration between The Wombats Art Network, local traders, a newcomer to Ballan with extensive event backgrounds, a social media/marketing guru, and seasoned ‘old hands’ acting in both advisory and hands-on roles.

The crowd was estimated at over 10,000, making this year’s Ballan Autumn Festival the biggest ever.

And as the dust settles on this year’s event, Mr Harper said the BAF Committee will take just a week’s rest, before turning its sights to the 2025 Ballan Autumn Festival, promising to make it even bigger and better.