Ballan Autumn Festival ~ 2014

What a fantastic Autumn Festival the little town of Ballan put on once again!

the weather was kind to us, there were plenty of amazing stall holders, the Fashion Parade was a success, the entertainment was amazing, the fun pet parade, the main street parade was just fantastic ... 

what more could we want?

here are just a few images from the 2014 Festival...

The next Ballan Autumn Festival will be held on

Sunday 22nd March 2015

and the theme will be:


OUR CULTURE, OUR ART

40th Annual Ballan Art & Craft Society Art Show -

[Saturday and Sunday]

Lal Lal Moorabool Photographic Group Photo Exhibition 

PARADE

Pet Show

Wood Chop Vintage Machinery

Historical Society

Model Rail

Street Stalls

Music

Dancing

Displays

Demonstrations

Our Art - Kid's Art Exhibition


Please note & save the Festival website for 2015:

Ballan Autumn Festival ~ 2015

Ballan Autumn Festival is on Twitter & Facebook:

Twitter:

@ballanfest2014

Facebook:

Ballan Autumn Festival Facebook Page

Ballan Autumn Festival Pet Show

The following links take you to three

blog posts from the 

2012 Ballan Autumn Festival:

• Ballan Autumn Festival ~ 2012
• Ballan Autumn Festival Quilt Show ~ 2012
• Ballan Autumn Festival Vintage Cars ~ 2012

Make sure you mark the diary now

Sunday 22nd March 2015 

for another fantastic Ballan Autumn Festival!

Ballan is a rural village in Regional Victoria, just 74 klms west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Population is around 2700 and is on the rail link between Ballarat and the City of Melbourne.

see you on Sunday 22nd March 2015 for another fun packed day in Ballan!!


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Ballan and the Red Dot!!

Today - 22nd March 2013 - we have been in Ballan exactly one year. 

Sometimes it feels a lot longer than that, sometimes less, but all I can say is that it has been a huge year for us both, a year of settling in, a year of upheaval, lots of laughter, some sadness, being cold, friendships and everything in between!

..... and after 12 eventful months we are settled in and love it!

Way back in June 2009, a young man named Ayob bin Ismail also arrived here from Singapore, but as Wombat Regional Arts Network's International Artist/Designer-in-Residence.

Each artist/designer-in-residence was asked to make an artistic or design contribution to the Shire and Ayob’s gift was a piece of windart for Ballan. 

Ayob's windart weathervane is called The Red Dot.

The term "little red dot" is used by both Singaporean politicians and ordinary citizens with pride and with a sense of the nation's success despite its physical limitations. Most people refer to Singapore as the "little red dot" with affection, there is even a Red Dot Award for best Product Design etc. So the term is widely used in and around Singapore.

When we decided to leave Singapore to return to Australia, the big decision was "where to live" and after much thought and discussion we settled on Ballan ..... its a big move from The Red Dot to Ballan. There was a lot of thought about where to go, what to do, where to live and our heads were up in the air over many things. A bit like a weathervane!

It was not until a few weeks after moving here that we came across Ayob's Red Dot and it felt like there really was a link between Ballan and Singapore!

The Red Dot - as seen above - has 7 red plates with differing diameters. Each plate represents an element contributing to the arts and design landscape synergy in Ballan.

The elements represented include the town's:

• community
• landscape
• historic values
• cultural values
• arts practices
• vibrancy and energy
• tourism.

the above image is not mine, but is a copy of the front page of the Moorabool News in which Ayob and his Red Dot take pride of place!

Ayob's visit was generously supported by Nanyang Polytechnic (School of Design), Wombat Regional Arts Network and by Velislav Georgiev and Tor Roxburgh's public art business Zabelski Han and their gallery studio complex Omnibus Art Gallery.


Tor Roxburgh has written an extensive blog on Ayob's visit to Ballan, and can be viewed HERE.

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Quilts, Quilts and more Quilts!

I had never been to a Quilt Show in my life, I really have no interest in this sort of hobby ...... but I do admire people that have the patience and experience to achieve such beautiful art work!

The Ballan Autumn Festival [March 24 and 25 2012] held the usual "Quilt Show" and I went along to take photos for all my friends that would have enjoyed this event, but could not  attend as they all live so very far away!

All of the quilts and other work on display were amazing, as you can see by the following images:

You have to admit, there is some real talent there!

URLS that maybe of interest:

MisteaCrafts blog

Moorabool Tourism - Ballan Quilt and Craft Show

Mrs Martins Quilt Shop

Addicted to Quilts

Shane Wombats Blog posting on the festival.

Ballan Autumn Festival

also check our previous blog posts on the Ballan Autumn Festival - 2012

The next blog posts will be:

The Parade and The Vintage Vehicles that were on display at the festival.