Huge mysterious creatures roaming Sturt and Lydiard Streets while projecting sound and light were once again one of the major attractions as White Night lit up the heart of Ballarat on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The five-metre tall White Knight Messenger returned for a second year, delighting onlookers with his messages of peace and unity along with impressive movement.
The futuristic archangel was brought to life by eight puppeteers and performers.
But rivalling the walking, talking A Blank Canvas creation was Close-Act’s Birdmen.
The illuminated skeletal-looking creatures named a Technosaurus, which resemble both the past and future, interact with the environment and crowds around them.
Stephen Bikker and Eefje de Groot from Holland are the creators behind Birdmen.
Despite travelling halfway across the world for Melbourne and Ballarat’s White Night festivals, contending with windy conditions proved a challenge for the pair.
“Our costumes catch a lot of wind,” Mr Bikker said. “With the crowd it is nice, we love lots of people. We love to be above the people and delve into the crowd.”
While hoping to roam Sturt Street, the creatures were restricted to a sheltered area behind the Town Hall and assessed the conditions throughout the night.
“(Street theatre) is so reachable,” Mr de Groot said. “You reach to people as well who would never go into a theatre.”
Dazzling costumes add to all the fun and colour of event
Glittering matching sequined suits turned heads as a trio from Elphinstone joined in the White Night festivities on Saturday.
Tim Ratcliffe, Sam Dowing and three-year-old Romy Ratcliffe travelled to Ballarat for White Night because of their involvement in Magic Lantern Studio and Sanctum Theatre’s Man Who Cannot Sleep project.
The surrealist performance on Sturt Street combined puppetry and projection to explore the notion of dreams and hidden realities.
“A big head from the future has landed in the past and really doesn’t want to go back to the future,” Mr Ratcliffe said of the performance.
He described Sturt Street as one of his favourite main streets in Victoria and thought it was perfectly suited for the festivities.
Despite previous trips to Ballarat, Mr Ratcliffe said he was also always stunned by the city’s architecture.
The sequined suits came from creator Adele Varcoe and were custom-made after a visit to North Melbourne Town Hall Arts House.
“Is this not a perfect suit for White Night?” Mr Dowing said demonstrating how the sequins reflected the light.
Many others stood out in the crowd with flashing glow sticks, necklaces and crowns as the wandered past eye-catching projections and interactive art projects, while neon signs provided the perfect backdrop for photos.
SEE A FULL GALLERY OF PHOTOS HERE
