The Woden Valley Festival has been growing steadily over the past five years and 2012 sees it grow bigger still!
It is a week long celebration, from 4-10 November with over 200 performers, taking part in 15 events throughout the Woden Valley area, all free, fun and local.
It doesn’t matter which side of the lake you live on, check out the program and see what strikes your fancy.
Here is an attempt to summarise the different elements of the festival. Grab a drink because we have much to get through…
The Carnival
10 November 9am-4pm at Eddison Park.
The main event and grand finale of the festival with a great local music lineup with headline act Owen Campbell, heaps for the kids, a dog show and animal farm, lots of food, markets and community info. There will also be tours of Woden cemetery, skateboard coaching sessions, BMX comp, a mascot race (my money’s on the big platypus thing), face painting, circus, things to jump on (not the mascots) and more!
LIFT OFF
Heat 1 – Fri 2 Nov 6pm at Woden Youth Centre
Heat 2 – Sat 3 Nov 6pm at Woden Youth Centre
Finals and Festival – Sat 10 Nov 4pm-9pm at Eddison Park
Canberra’s biggest youth music competition with the winning band receiving enough prizes to record, design and market a new CD (valued at over 5K). Headlining will be House Vs Hurricane supported by Atlantis Awaits and the six finalists of the band comp. This is aimed at people who like their music LOUD!
Woden Alive
4-9 Nov
All over the place!
A number of events scattered throughout the area to highlight the great creative community organisations operating in Canberra. Woden Alive starts on Sunday 4 Nov with the Word War-Comedy Debate between Comedy ACT and Impro ACT (moderated by 666 breakfast presenter Ross Solly) and runs through to Friday 9 Nov with Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School burlesque/life drawing night. To get the full run down the other great events happening as part of Woden Alive, head to www.wodenvalleyfestival.org.au/alive .
Home Made Jam
Thursday 8 Nov, 7pm
Woden CIT
A solo singer/songwriter competition.
Prizes include a recording session, photo shoot, graphic design, and a scholarship to the CIT Music Performance Course!
Each contestant will play two songs, the first song to get comfy, the second song to be judged by our loveable judges. The CIT Media Production students will be filming the event with lots of cameras and all contestants get a pro DVD of their performance.
Registrations open 1 November at 10am, and the first 18 people to submit their registration get into the competition. To enter, head to www.wodenvalleyfestival.org.au/homemadejam .
Young Snappers
Youth Photography competition
10 November 9am-4pm
Eddison Park
Bring your camera to the carnival, take lots of photos, send us your favourite, tell us why it’s your favourite in one sentence and you could win awesome prizes!
Depending on your age, you could win an internship with BMA, work experience with a pro photographer, a placement in the Photo Access School Holiday Program and more.
The competition is open to people attending school in the ACT.
Head to www.wodenvalleyfestival.org.au/snappers
Art in the Drain
is an online gallery that takes you through the under appreciated storm water drain in Woden. Home to some of the best graffiti in Canberra, this scrolling gallery lets you journey without leaving your seat!
Well worth checking out http://www.wodenvalleyfestival.org.au/galleries/Photos/drain_art/
Unsung Heroes Award
The Rotary Club of Woden Daybreak is proud to partner with the Woden Valley Festival to celebrate selfless individuals, community groups and businesses who give their time and talents to make the Woden community a better place.
The award, now in its 4th year, has grown to become a symbol of recognition and appreciation throughout the Woden Valley community, and we’re so pleased with the nominations we’ve received in 2012.
There is more. Much more, but if you’ve read this far I think you need a rest to take it all in.
I really encourage you to have a look at the website, check out the program, enter the competitions and come to the events.
Like us on www.facebook.com/wodenvalleyfestival
Follow us at www.twitter.com/wodenvalleyfest
visit us at www.wodenvalleyfestival.org.au
Now go outside and enjoy the weather!