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BATHURST is set to have a new festival, but it’s got nothing to do with racing, and everything to do with local food, wine, entertainment and a great venue.
When a staggering 10,000 people flocked into the CBD for the Bicentenary Night Illumination Street Festival on May 9, it confirmed that people are keen to celebrate, according to Bathurst mayor Gary Rush.
It was the biggest party Bathurst Regional Council has ever thrown and he is excited about bringing the city another celebration in July.
The inaugural Illuminate Bathurst Winter Festival will kick off on July 4 and feature a huge line-up of entertainment over nine days.
“We’ll create an ice rink in Kings Parade and have Kings Parade looking like a winter wonderland,” Cr Rush said.
“This is the one that I think will last into next year and beyond. Let’s celebrate, you can turn up and embrace the cold on an ice rink.”
Back again will be the food and wine stalls to showcase the great range of local produce according to Cr Rush.
“Nothing’s going to change in that respect because it allows us to celebrate the fantastic food and wine we have here,” he said.
Bathurst Regional Vignerons Association co-ordinator Michelle Kerr said the bicentenary street festival exceeded all expectations.
“We are very excited to be a part of that [the winter festival] and had such a great experience last time,” she said.
“It just blew everyone out of the water.”
Ms Kerr said the festival allowed people to easily sample local wine and eateries they may not have visited before.
For the upcoming winter festival Ms Kerr said there will be more food, more wine and she hopes a greater number of local producers involved.
Also involved in the winter festival will be the Illuminate Bathurst light show, but this time with a different story to tell. While the bicentenary told the stories of Bathurst’s 200-year history, the July light show will tell the city’s present-day stories.
Cr Rush said the winter festival will then be held each year, and while he admitted winter can be a time when visitors avoid Bathurst due to the cold weather, he said it’s time to “embrace the cold” rug up and enjoy the festival.
“I think the community of Bathurst is looking for something like this to provide an opportunity for people to catch up with friends and the whole mood is about feeling good,” he said.