Full calendar in northern Grampians

Northern Grampians leaders expect an event-packed Easter calendar to provide a substantial economic boost for the shire as part of a regional rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic

Mayor Murray Emerson of Stawell said the return of the Stawell Gift at Central Park would spearhead the boost, backed up by a broad mix of other community events and attractions.

He said while the weekend would ‘look a little different’ from other years as part of the emergence from COVID-19, the region would still be a magnet for visitors from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

“Despite the cap on the number of tickets on sale to meet the COVIDSAFE event guidelines, the gift is the major drawcard for the Easter weekend. It is also highly anticipated following the cancellation of the 2020 event at the height of the pandemic,” he said.

“Besides the gift itself, other attractions over the course of the Easter weekend include the regular family favourite Stawell Lions Club Easter Carnival that runs all weekend at Cato Park, three days of stableford competition at Stawell Golf Club, the Lindsay Kent Memorial Fun Runwalk and Stuart Mcgregor Stawell Gold Cup horse-race meeting on Easter Sunday.”

Cr Emerson said Grampians National Park would also provide a ‘majestic’ setting for a Feast of Shakespeare with four abridged classics from OZACT’S repertoire, Macbeth, Pericles, King Lear and The Tempest.

He said the presentation at Heatherlie

Quarry would be a showcase of highly acclaimed productions for all tastes.

“Combine these with fireworks on Saturday night and community events including markets, bingo and shopping opportunities, Stawell will be a great place to be,” he said.

“After a long 12 months this will be the first chance for many athletes, their families and friends to reconnect and the weekend will provide a welcome injection of support for our local businesses and service providers.”

Major community activity in the

Wimmera’s south-east will start unfolding with the return of community football and netball at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval.

Wimmera Football Netball League will signal the return to mainstream winter sport after a year off with a marque contest between traditional rivals Stawell and Ararat.

Cr Emerson said all Easter 2021 events registered with Northern Grampians Shire Council were listed on an events calendar on council website www.ngshire.vic.gov.au/ Events-calendar.