Get spirited at the
Festival of Fisher's Ghost which comes alive in Campbelltown.
Australia's most famous ghost Frederick Fisher, is celebrated over ten days with a series of
events including a spectacular Street Parade, the Fisher's Ghost Art Award, annual Fisher's Ghost Fun Run, a Street Fair, Craft Exhibition, open days and a fireworks display.
Almost four months after the mysterious disappearance of local farmer,
Fred Fisher, in 1826 a strange occurrence took place one night when wealthy farmer, John Farley, stumbled into a local hotel in a state of shock claiming he had seen Fisher's ghost sitting on the rail of a bridge. The ghost pointed to a paddock, where the body of Fisher was later discovered, then faded away.
Fisher was a colorful character, a London shopkeeper who either innocently or deliberately obtained forged banknotes and was sentenced to 14 years transportation to Australia. After seven years he applied for a ticket-of-leave and secured a property at Campbelltown.
His spirit is captured on canvas with the Festival of Fisher's Ghost Art Award – a free exhibition at the Campbelltown Arts Centre from November 6 to 21. To enter the competition click
here.
A highlight of the festival is the
Street Parade on Saturday November 6 from 1.30 to 3pm on Queen Street.
According to the website: "The parade showcases the legend of Fisher´s Ghost and the diversity of our local community in a vast array of creative forms, and is an energetic, lively and colourful celebration of Campbelltown City´s history and its people."
Local schools, sporting and community groups, organisations and businesses take part in the event with floats, puppets, costumes, musical instruments and choreographed movement, inspired by the legend of Fisher's Ghost, the city's history or the colour purple.
Click
here to check out some images from the 2009 parade.
Prepare to be blown away at
Fisher's Gig Campbelltown's largest youth music and culture event.
The free event is set to rock Bradbury Oval on Saturday 6 November from 2 -10.30pm. Local acts: The Attendance, Dinkibike, Ladies and Gentlemen, Ghosts of York and Suburban Lies will perform with major drawcards Electro-rock group MM9, pop punk band Tonight Alive as well an international band to be announced,and for the chance to win a backstage pass, click
here.
The drug and alcohol free environment is open to all ages. For more information, check out the Fisher's Gig
Myspace.
If you want to keep fit for all the parading and grooving the Festival of Fisher's Ghost Fun Run will kick off on Sunday November 14 at 8.30am at the University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown campus.
