SOVEREIGN Hill has promised its winter program will feature the largest light projection spectacle ever staged in the one site in Australia.
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The museum has just released the full program for its Christmas in July and Winter Wonderlights event.
Tying in with the City of Ballarat’s whole-of-city Winterlude festival, Sovereign Hill’s annual winter program has now been running since 2011.
This year will see the program extended out from 16 days to 30, with huge Christmas feasts, carolling in the main street, decoration-making workshops, a full theatre program, artificial snow, animated projections and European storytelling some of the highlights.
Sovereign Hill director of marketing Garry Burns said the museum was modelled for the event like a European Christmas village.
“The concept crosses a lot of age boundaries,” he said.
“We really put on a world-class event here in terms of the projections. Ballarat should be proud of the event.”
Mr Burns said the idea was developed a few years ago in response to the city’s traditionally low tourist season in winter.
“We were looking at ways to increase visitation over that period,” he said.
“Christmas in July really touches on the foundation of family, getting together as a family, as a group. It touches all the right buttons.”
He said the concept of an Australian Christmas in July started several years ago at restaurants and among community groups, but had fallen away more recently.
“It fell away and since we reintroduced it four or five years ago, it’s really connected (with people).”
During the day, visitors will be able to stroll down Main Street as snow flakes fall at regular intervals over the Victorian-style buildings.
As the sun sets, the village will be transformed into a grand-scale light show as projections dance across the building’s facades.
Electric Canvas, the team behind some of the projections seen at Melbourne’s White Night, will provide the technical expertise to the event.
The $1.2 million event attracted 60,000 people last year, with organisers expecting up to 100,000 this year.
“Our Winter Wonderlights event will see significant economy benefit to the Ballarat economy,” Mr Burns said.
“Not only are we expecting to see bumper crowds come to our event, but we know that these visitors also spend time exploring the Ballarat region.”
For more information and tickets to Christmas in July, visit christmasinjuly.sovereignhill.com.au
