Creative Director News

Canberra's 97th birthday wrapup

The events that surrounded Canberra’s 97th birthday were many and varied: some tried and true such as Celebrate in the Park, some brand new such as the extremely well-attended Symphony in the Park and Flipart, and some simply with a new twist.

Lights! Canberra! Action! was superbly situated in Garema Place this year and worked extremely well as an outdoor event. The prelude and interval interventions by Erth and Dislocate from Flipart added new diversions. Everyone commented that the quality of the entries into L!C!A! has escalated dramatically and certainly all finalists were well received by the large crowd.

Flipart similarly animated the inner city precinct and it was a very positive pilot event. Throughout Saturday there were delighted audiences young and old throughout the precinct and I was especially impressed with the atmosphere after-dark. The place had people and laughter, music and applause and this was very different and extremely appealing.

Erth, Dislocate, Stalker, Chrome and Zimboyz all had excellent crowds and responses, but equally well–received were locals JAAD, Warehouse Circus, and a number of spontaneous participants such as local trampolinists, the acrobat accountants and parkour people.

Along with the activities at New Acton in The Bally, music from Mr Fibby, Casual Projects and the remarkable Los Amigos Invisibles, the huge line-up at Celebrate, the fabulous balloons which at last rose up majestically, the CSO’s mighty program, the Canberra Bells, the Canberra Cake and a huge day at the Botanic Gardens and Arboretum, along with the French Masters packing them in… this was a Canberra Festival for celebration.

It augurs so well for our build towards 2013. We now have a fresh new visual identity and a refreshed website with more grunt for more layers of information. We’re seriously on our way.

And marking the journey in 2010 is Show us Your Limits, so be part of the journey. Go forth and take photos!