UPDATED THURSDAY 8am: The organisation promoting the Ballarat Easter Festival has cancelled the event, saying due to 'council and media' outlets, "process is out of our hand and step for the refunds have been made (sic)."
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The event was scheduled to run in council's Victoria Park on April 19 and 20, but had not received a permit from council or submitted adequate safety plans.
The Easter Festival also said it was raising funds for the 'Ballarat Hospital Children Wards', but a spokesperson for Ballarat Health Services (BHS) told The Courier while BHS had been approached, no agreement had been made or permissions had been given.
Ballarat Health Services were initially contacted regarding this event, but no permission to raise funds on behalf of Ballarat Health Services or to use our logo or name in advertising material was ever given. Any inference that this event is connected to the health service is completely baseless. We welcome the support of our community through fundraising initiatives but always need to ensure these arrangements are entered into in a collaborative and considered way.
- Ballarat Health Services
According to the Ballarat Easter Festival Facebook page, 283 tickets to the Easter egg hunt had been sold, and the funds from these will be refunded.
"So the Public are aware the 283 EASTER EGG TICKETS that where sold totaling $5,660 without any other SALE OR donations that was the Amount that the Hospital would have got back from the event (sic)."
EARLIER: A festival proposed for Victoria Park over Easter has run into trouble after the City of Ballarat refused it a permit this week.
The 'Ballarat Easter Festival' and 'Hop under the Stars', marketed by Webb's Event Group online and proposed for April 19 and 20, was formally denied a permit by the council after 'event organisers did not submit a risk management plan sufficient enough to ensure the safety and security of those attending,' according to a release issued by council's media unit.
Council expressed concerns that the promotional material used by the Ballarat Easter Festival also used the City of Ballarat logo without permission, and requested Webb's marketing remove it from any advertising.
In a communication with The Courier, council said the festival would be denied use of Victoria Park without the permit being granted.
The festival's flyer also contains the logo of Ballarat Health Services, and advertising for the event states the 'Ballarat Easter Festival is a new community Festival being run by a small group of locals with the aim of raising much needed funds for the Ballarat Hospital Children's Department.'
Tickets for the event are being sold online at $20 per session, with different sessions for 1-3 year-olds, 4-6, 7-9 and then 10-18 year-olds; below the options, the day's outline also states the festival is a 'free entry festival.'
Also below the ticketing options is a brief outline of what is meant to take place on the day:
"Egg Hunts for everyone aged between 1-18yrs, rides and amusements for all ages.
For those who love markets we have a great market of up to 50 stalls, with no more than two to three similar stalls and a wide range of food vendors over the day!
Local performers on stage throughout the day. Enjoy the Family carnival and kids free workshop
Ballarat Easter Festival is a free entry festival with fees for hunts, rides and amusements, and of course if you choose to buy from one of our vendors on the day."
No further information is provided regarding who the local performers are, who local stallholders might be or what kinds of rides are proposed.
The Courier spoke to Daniel Webb of Webb's Event Group, which is promoting the Easter Festival in Ballarat as well as a 'Teddy Bear Picnic Day' in Gisborne on April 13.
Mr Webb said he was currently in the process of removing the City of Ballarat logo from the advertising for the festival, and that he was 'in communication with' the council trying to resolve the permit issue.
However a council spokesperson told The Courier no further communication with Webb's Event Group had taken place following the refusal of the permit.
Mr Webb could not name who the 'small group of locals' were running the event; while applications for work at the event were placed on the Ballarat Easter Festival site as follows:
"Thank you for applying for the Ballarat Easter Festival, 2019 job rolls are Volunteer and are not paid work, the job on the day will be Easter egg hunt area, Ticket scanning, Public Selling Raffle tickets, Stage help, Community BBQ, Game area (egg racing) and much more, Rolls will be given to you 1 week out of the event date you will be given two take over the day and the shifts will be 2hr space no more than MAX of 4hrs working time. Lunch pack will be given on the day with 1 Soft drink, 1 Sandwich and 1 fruit water will be give out over the day for FREE and can be found in the HQ tent on the day. we thank you for coming on board for 2019 event."
Asked whether he had formal links with, or permission for the use of Ballarat Health Services logo, Mr Webb said Ballarat Health Services 'were aware of what we are doing.'
The Courier was unable to confirm with Ballarat Health Services whether they were aware of the festival by the time of publication.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council acknowledged the material had used the logo of the council on the flyer for the teddy bear picnic but would make no further comment at this stage.
