The Warrnambool Standard 23/12/10 by Anthony Brady
Festive fun in Port Fairy
ANTHONY BRADY
23 Dec, 2010 04:00 AM
"A festival by the people for the people" is the statement used by Moyneyana Festival chairman Reg Harry to launch the 2010 event.
Tomorrow marks the start of the 63rd Moyneyana Festival, an event which is credited with establishing Port Fairy as one of the country's leading summer destinations.
The Moyneyana Festival was developed to make Port Fairy a family friendly summer school holiday location by providing a range of free activities.
The stunning success of the annual festival has helped make tourism one of the biggest drivers of the town's economy.
Mr Harry said his committee was eagerly awaiting the start of the festival with its traditional free Christmas Eve activities on the Village Green.
"Christmas Eve is a great starting point for the five weeks of the festival, especially with Santa arriving and getting everyone in the spirit for the following day" he said.
"We have incorporated some new acts and activities into this year's program which are very family orientated and we encourage all the community to come along and enjoy the program we have planned."
The community input into this year's festival has drawn praise from Mr Harry, who said there was an increase in the amount of groups, businesses and sporting clubs becoming involved.
"We are able to put on such a vast array of free activities over such a long period through the great support of the business community in Port Fairy.
"We also get fantastic support from the Moyne Shire Council and the Port Fairy Folk Festival which helps bring the festival together.
"And the people on our committee are so dedicated and are willing to do whatever needs to be done to make the festival a success."
Highlights of the festival include New Year's Eve with the famous procession through the Port Fairy CBD and the South West Street Rodders Show and Shine, to be held on January 9 at Southcombe Park.
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