Far from overwhelming relief at the success of this year’s DREAM Fest, coordinator Lana Willetts, says she’ll actually miss it when it’s finally over.
With this the first full month-long event that Council has undertaken – following handing over by its previous volunteer committee in 2019, two years of COVID, and the 2022 flood and storm-hit event – she’s super-happy with how it’s trending.
With this Friday’s “Silent Disco” at the Macquarie Street rotunda the last major show of the 2023 month-long celebration of culture and community, she admits to suffering a touch of the empty nests.
“There’s a sense of mourning, it’s been your baby for so long, and there’s been lots of moving pieces and scores of stakeholders,” Lana explained.
“It’s been a solid three months for a very small team, sometimes only two or three people, that have worked really hard to get it right,” Council’s Leader of Events and Partnerships, said.
The highlight at this stage, she believes, is the lantern parade that overcame indifferent weather conditions to be a triumph of local colour, art and public participation.
“I’m extremely happy with the DREAM Lantern event, it was a cold night, but it was very strongly supported, this is the first time that Council handled the event; we had 75 stall-holders and music over 10-hours” she revealed.
“It’s our hallmark which we promoted heavily, and we had something like 11,000 (final figure: 11,749) people attending; the numbers swelled to 8900 just before the Lantern Parade itself.”
Other highlights included the musical “Zoocoustics” performance at Taronga Western Plains Zoo that had 600 tickets requested, and the Dreamscape Indigenous experience by local artist, Shane Riley.
“The ‘Wiradjuri Dreamscape’ was a light and sound installation that was one of our most popular events over the whole Festival,” Lana said.
“Through dance, voices and images of local Elders, they told the story of the Wiradjuri,” she added.
While visitor numbers are not yet available, Lana emphasised that the September carnival is about celebrating the unique qualities of Dubbo and district.
“Council delivers this event for the betterment of the community; it’s about history and culture and art and music.
“It’s also designed to showcase what a dynamic and energetic destination that Dubbo is for visitors,” Lana said.
As well as all those who were involved – Council colleagues, the stallholders, performers, kids and parents, colleagues and collaborators – she said that the financial support of local institutions ensured the Festival was economically viable.
“Without the sponsors, we simply wouldn’t be able to put it on; Macquarie Credit Union, Charles Sturt University, Simmo Signs and the State Government.
“It’s an absolute team effort involving staff across different sections, otherwise, events of this scale simply wouldn’t be possible,” Lana concluded.
To take part in the survey of this year’s fest, go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/28V6WFN