It’s almost dream come true - the name of Dubbo’s new iconic festival has been revealed but we won’t know until October the line up for next year’s inaugural event.
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The Dubbo Regional Entertainment Arts Music Festival, or Dream Festival, was unveiled at a cocktail party at the Western Plains Cultural Centre last night and residents will find out more when the committee hands out information brochures at this morning’s farmers’ markets.
But festival committee chairman John Walkom stressed “it’s not just about us having another festival in Dubbo.
“It could become an overarching whole spring festival that runs for a number of weeks.”
In fact the Dream Festival would be a month-long spring-time event held at a number of the city’s locations including the streets, the river and the zoo, he said.
It would encompass some of Dubbo’s already successful festivals like Zoo Grooves and perhaps the Dubbo Multicultural Festival and the Red Ochre Festival, but would also showcase about four new events each year.
“We’re looking at having three to four major events under our own identity that encompasses entertainment, arts and music,” Mr Walkom said.
An example would be a street parade, but the final line up of events for the inaugural Dream Festival in 2011 would not be revealed until October 1 this year.
“We’re going to give a taste this year,” Mr Walkom said.
“We’ll be having a dinner at the Old Dubbo Gaol to launch the festival for 12 months out and we will be giving people the suite of events that we will be putting on offer for 2011.”
Another taste test would be an open-air film night at Victoria Park on October 3 called ‘Flicks in the Sticks’.
The want of a unique festival for Dubbo has been in the pipeline for years but it was the State Opposition spokesperson for volunteering and the arts, Anthony Roberts, who in February challenged residents to come up with their own ideas for an iconic event that would put Dubbo on the map.
A public meeting was held, submissions for ideas were gathered, and a steering committee of 11 community members was drawn up.
Six months down the line and the stage has been set for a festival that won’t date but would give the region an opportunity to “reflect on what we’re all about”.
“The dream festival is something where we can showcase what we have in our great city ... we have the ability to do that and do it well,” Mr Walkom said.
