Mayor's Message - Friday 6 January

With Christmas fast becoming just a distant memory, I am pleased to say that there is still plenty of entertainment to look forward to in the coming weeks with both the Summer Sunday’s live music concert series and the Federation University Road National Championships.  

Each Sunday in January between 4-8pm there will be an incredible line up of local, emerging, and big-name musical talent on stage in the Botanical Gardens and then from 6-10 January we will also have the opportunity to see some of Australia’s best cycling athletes challenging each other around the street and mountain climb circuits of Ballarat.   

Summer Sundays will feature an array of music from jazz to country, blues to pop and soul to funk. It is a musical feast with something for everyone.  

The event began in 1990, some 30 years ago as Arts in the Park, and has grown into a feature event of the Ballarat social calendar, exuding a rather hip and cool creative vibe, very inclusive and very chillaxed for lazy Sundays in the shady gardens of arguably one of the most perfect music settings of any city.  

The series of concerts are very much part of the Creative City Strategy and Ballarat Event Strategy attracting people from far and wide with the event’s growing reputation. 

After the second Summer Sunday's event on the 15 January, there will also be a spectacular fireworks display on Lake Wendouree to close out the day at 9.30pm.  

Some of the headline acts throughout the month include, The Seven Ups, JAZZPARTY, Sun Rising and Freya Josephine Hollick with a further host of outstanding talent over the four Summer Sundays. 

In addition to the live music, a selection of Ballarat’s best food and beverage vendors will be onsite to choose from.   

 We really are spoilt to have both these events happening this January and it is a great opportunity to showcase Ballarat to the many interstate and international visitors that will come to enjoy them. If you have never been to either, or both, I highly recommend jumping online at ballarat.vic.gov.au and finding out more.

Mayor

Cr Des Hudson