Ballarat's iconic winter festival returns

On any level, it was a sentiment most of us could appreciate, as we dusted off our slippers and duly cranked up our electric blankets. But it was a statement equally blind to the promise winter brings Ballarat.

After all, with winter comes one of the city's most bedazzling, fun-filled festivals: the eponymously named Ballarat Winter Festival - this year running from Saturday 25 June to Sunday 17 July.

"Gone are the days where you can complain about the weather here," City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney declared at the festival's launch on Friday. "Rug up and get nice and warm because we've got one heck of a show for you."

Headlining the festival will of course be Sovereign Hill's signature Winter Wonderlights, which annually transform its streetscapes into something akin to Hogsmeade - the enchanting, fantasy village from Harry Potter - only much better.

There visitors can celebrate the cold and dark with glittering lights, falling snow, delicious food, warm drinks, roaring fires and live music.

This year's event, we're told, will also transport visitors back in time by bringing the old gold diggings back to life, with sing-alongs around fires and the sounds of times past all promised.

Adult visitors, meanwhile, will be treated to a child-free, once-weekly extended night lights experience.

For those truly pining for a bit of real magic, however, fear not: Kryal Castle will be celebrating Knights of Fire and Snow Queen Neva, where participants can learn the art of magical potions, hone their dormant sword-fighting (or axe-throwing) skills and experience live performances.

More mainstream, though similarly unique, experiences are also on offer elsewhere around Ballarat. For one, visitors can meet Ballarat Wildlife Park's striking new tiger, Kai, and enjoy a bowl of spicy noodles. Or, if that isn't enticing enough, the City of Ballarat's ever popular pop-up ice-skating rink outside Town Hall will return, though this year with a Bollywood twist.

Beyond that, the Art Gallery of Ballarat has thrown its support behind renowned Australian contemporary artist Patricia Piccinini, whose beautiful hot air balloon "skywhale" sculptures will loom large over the city's skyline at sunrise on 9 July, taking flight from the Eastern Oval to music provided by Jess Green (aka Pheno) and a choir comprising children from all over Ballarat.

Finally, there's also the Design Exchange Winter Market at the Ballarat Mining Exchange on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July, showcasing Victoria's most creative designers and makers, with the first night including Beyond Dark - an inaugural event celebrating winter darkness with mulled wine, food, fire pits and roving performers at Alfred Deakin Place and Camp Street.

So, given the range of fabulous events on offer, perhaps it is Ballaratians who should be offering their thoughts and prayers to any Melburnian silly enough to miss this iconic experience.

See here for further details. Advanced online bookings are advised for some events, such as the ice-skating rink.

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