Winter Weekends 2021 festival program launched

The weekends event will feature a range of art, music and food events, with the full program released today.

After the coronavirus forced the festival to head online for 2020, president Amy Armstrong was thrilled do deliver a jam-packed program which will be delivered over fortnightly weekend in June and July.

"Our headline act for the duration of the festival is 'Reflected' an art installation by Steve Tierney and Tanja Bruckner," she said.

"It's an immersive exhibition experience that's in the Moyne Shed behind the CFA so it's going to be quite a different show where people will be going to an industrial space to see an exhibition.

"Light Up Port Fairy will return once again and be focused along the river, we'll also be screening a couple of films including Purple Rain and original The Lion King for the kids."

Do to the CovidSAFE planning, the Dachshund Dash won't be running due to difficulties around crowds and social distancing.

However, Ms Armstrong said the committee had focused on delivering a large, interactive children's program to run across the whole festival.

"As a committee we decided logistically with all the Covid compliances it would have been too complicated to have the Dash but we're hoping next year it will make a triumphant return," she said.

"We've got a lot of amazing children's events, our kid's program is as loaded as ever with plenty of engaging hands-on, theatre and craft events."

Goomfest director Samuel Pyers has also jumped on board Winter Weekends to deliver 'Lodge Rock', a music event at Southcombe Lodge with bands from Melbourne performing and accommodation available.

Winter Weekends will also launch Port Fairy's first roof top bar as part of the program.

"There's a lot of ways people can get involved across the festival," Ms Armstrong said. "There's so many workshops in things like miso and ginger beer making, it's really exciting. We rolled over as much as we could from last year's program and then we've added more."

The festival committee has introduced a Covid management portfolio and has been working closely with Moyne Shire Council to ensure the festival will adhere to coronavirus restrictions.

Port Fairy Winter Weekends begin on June 11. For more information and to view the entire program released on Friday, head to portfairywinterweekends.com.au

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