Over 65,000 visitors descended upon Ballarat on Saturday night for the regional city’s spectacular White Night event, celebrating the creative community through large-scale projections, illuminations, music, food and laser beams!
With a powerful locally focused program, White Night Ballarat put on a show marking the first day of winter with more than 40 projections across the city’s heritage façade, three stages of live music and a delicious culinary trail boasting more than 70 dining destinations.
The projections, laser beams and breath-taking illuminations lit up Ballarat’s CBD grid, celebrating the city’s vibrant and diverse creative scene and providing a safe place for local community to come together and explore the city after dark.
Audiences of all ages soaked up the magical atmosphere filling restaurants, cafes and the White Night Bites food arena, with families arriving at dusk to experience the mesmerising displays and partygoers continuing the winter festivities into the night exploring the White Night dreamscape until midnight.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos applauded another successful edition of the White Night series, which has been delighting Victorian crowds since it was first staged in 2013.
“It was fantastic to see massive crowds enjoying the sights, sounds and flavours of Ballarat over the weekend, as we celebrated the return of White Night Ballarat,” said Minister Dimopoulos.
“As well as boosting the region’s tourist economy, White Night Ballarat also kicked off an incredible winter of Victorian major events delivered by Visit Victoria that includes NRL State of Origin game 2, Ballin’24, RISING and NGV’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition Pharaoh. These events contribute to our thriving visitor economy and support local jobs and businesses.”
City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Des Hudson said the all-encompassing event was a major coup for Ballarat. “White Night was incredible this weekend, the program was amazing and tapped into our local creative engine room of talented artists, musicians and culinary masters,” he said.
“What a delight to see some of most interesting and historic buildings become the backdrop for the contemporary lighting landscape. We are proud to have had more than 65,000 people turn out for White Night, providing our local businesses with an important and well needed economic boost to our visitor economy,” said Cr Hudson.
White Night Ballarat Artistic Director Andrew Walsh AM said this event was made for the Ballarat CBD, with the heritage streetscape a focus of the one-night-only visual spectacular. “We promised a serendipitous adventure and we delivered that plus more!” he said.
“It was wonderful to experience this event with the local community who embraced the diversity and scale of the program. This was a celebration of Ballarat’s creative core, highlighting the region’s artistic flair and thirst for energetic and dazzling events and live entertainment,” said Mr Walsh.
It is estimated that more than 65,000 people attended White Night Ballarat. The free outdoor event was a marvellous success for entertaining visitors and the regional community who supported local business, hospitality and tourism operators.
White Night Ballarat took place on Saturday 1 June 2024 from 6.00pm to 12 midnight on Wadawurrung Country in Ballarat, Victoria. For more information, visit: www.whitenight.com.au for details.
Image: Whoo’s Looking on the Mining Exchange Building – photo by Renee Reid | Love Drum Creative