When Busselton welcomes the New Year, it means one thing – it’s Festival of Busselton time!
The annual month-long festival is held every January.
The 2019 festival marks the event’s 55th year of bringing the community together through a series of fun and family-friendly events.
This year, the festival welcomes back fan favourites and will introduce some new events.
There is certainly something for everyone.
For the full program click here.
Check out some of the opening week’s events below:
What: Create A Scarecrow Workshops
Where: Pepi Cafe and Community Garden/ Mitchell Park
When: January 3 and 8 – Pepi Cafe, January 5 Mitchell Park. From 9.30am to 12.30pm.
Scarecrow frames and pillowcase heads are supplied for children to let their imagination run wild and create their own farming friend. Markers and paint to give their scarecrow personality are also provided. Participants should bring along clothes to dress their scarecrow. Parents are welcome to help their young ones.
What: Camelot the Pantomime
Where: Weld Theatre, Queen Street
When: January 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Times vary.
Busselton Repertory Club’s presents the side-splitting show, Camelot the Panto.
Princess Guinevere arrives in Camelot to marry Prince Arthur. However, just after she meets him, she is kidnapped by the henchmen of Morgan Le Fay and taken to the Misty Mountain Castle to marry King Valerin of the Tangled Wood instead. Prince Arthur, his friends (a jester, a bear and a dame) and his knights must go through the enchanted forest, the haunted hotel and the shrieking bog to try to find her.
Tickets are available at trybooking.com/ZKOH.
What: Carnival Rides
Where: Busselton Foreshore and Signal Park
When: January 4 to 20
Nothing says festival fun like rides! All the favourites such as the Super Trooper and Gravitron will be back. For those not keen on such an intense adrenalin rush, there will also be Dodgem Cars and Laughing Clowns. Fees apply for rides.
What: Outdoor Movie
Where: Signal Park
When: January 8, 6pm food vans, 7.30pm movie starts
Summertime is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a film outdoors. The Festival of Busselton will screen the family-friendly Hotel Transylvania 3 for just a gold coin donation. Food and drink will be available from a number of vendors.
What: Glow Ride
Where: Almond Parkway, Provence
When: January 9, 7pm to 9pm
Fun mixed with a be of fitness. Open to children, the Glow Ride encourages youngsters to decorate their bikes brightly with lights and pedal the pathways of Provence with a Festival of Busselton tour guide. Icecream and coffee vans will be onsite. Prizes are on offer for brightest bike and most colourful rider. No need to secure a place, just register upon arrival. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.
What: Battle of the Bands
Where: Busselton Amphitheatre
When: January 11 from 5pm and finals on January 12 from 5.30pm
Some of the region’s top young soloists and bands will battle it out to be crowned the winner of this annual event. Open to ages 12 to 30, the diverse talent on offer is sure to entertain foreshore crowds. It will be the first time the event has been held at the new amphitheatre.
What: Float Parade, Eats N Beats, Battle of theBands final
Where: Queen Street – Parade and Busselton Amphitheare – Eats N Beats/ Battle of the Bands
When: January 12, 4pm to 5pm, Eats N Beats/ Battle of the Bands from 5.30pm.
Queen Street will come alive with colour and quirk when the annual Float Parade is held. Traditionally, some water pistols have made an appearance, but please no water bombs! Community groups and businesses get in the spirit, plus this year, children are encouraged to join the parade with their scarecrows or decorate bikes. After the parade, head to the foreshore amphitheatre for the Battle of the Bands final and Eats N Beats. With market stalls and food trucks, there will be plenty to choose from for the whole family.
