10 days of Dubbo-fornia Dreamin’
DUBBO’S Dreams are a step closer with this week’s launch of the popular festival after a break in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic which shut down so many events.
Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) engaged to work with the former volunteer-based DREAM committee to bring back some of the most popular events with the festival planned to run from Thursday to Sunday, October 14 to 24, with the aim of bringing some of the region’s most creative and talented producers together for 10 days of entertainment.
DRC regional events manager Kim Hague said the council committed to the continuation of the annual event, after the popularity of it meant that the volunteer committee wanted some further assistance to deliver DREAM.
“We’ve all seen how popular the DREAM Festival has grown to become over the 11 years thanks to the hard work of the volunteer committee and council will continue to work with the committee to help bring this event to new heights,” she said.
“Attendees can expect to see all the standard, popular events, such as the lantern parade, musical artists and the popular market stalls.”
Other items planned for the program are set to use council facilities including Shoyoen Japanese Gardens which will host a cultural event, and the Music + Markets which will be held at Victoria Park.
“We’ll also see some of the region’s best musical artists and performers, along with the Lantern Parade, which will be held on October 23, with school and community lantern workshops planned during the 10 days of the festival,” Ms Hague said
“We’re also partnering with Taronga Western Plains Zoo for Zoocoustic – an afternoon of acoustic sounds set amongst the peaceful surrounds of the zoo.”
Macquarie Credit Union is again stumping up as the festival’s major sponsor.
Dubbo Region Mayor Stephen Lawrence said council is proud to deliver this whole-of-community event, showcasing the region’s rich tapestry of culture and creativity and was pleased this year’s DREAM Festival will be the first large event by DRC which will encourage sustainability practices for exhibitors.
“The DREAM Festival aims to minimise our impact on the environment, so exhibitors and participants are encouraged to assist by reducing waste, water and electricity requirements,” Cr Lawrence said.
“There are already some proactive businesses that are using more sustainable packaging such as eco-friendly plates and cutlery, as well as paper straws. The recommendation to ensure DRC runs more sustainable events was recently adopted at the June 2021 Council meeting, so it’s fantastic to see that it’s already being implemented,” said Councillor Lawrence.”
Information about this year’s DREAM Festival can be found at www.dreamfest.com.au