Winter is the time to hibernate but not in Ballarat as they are celebrating the season by having a festival. From 29 June to 21 July, 2019 there are various activities and events which are taking place in this former gold rush town.
Step back in time to the 1880s at
Sovereign Hill for their annual Winter Wonderlights. Find Sir Ginger getting up to mischief on the Main Street. Watch flames erupt from the Sovereign Hill chimney, wander through fairy-lit laneways, dance in the (faux) snow or a grab a sweet treat from the lolly shop.
The inaugural Ballarat Activated ArtWalk encourages us to look at the stories beneath the surface of the city and of the people that have lived, loved and continue to make the tales of Ballarat It will reveal the hidden stories of the laneways, buildings and streets of this historical town. Walk the streets of Ballarat and bring six special artworks to life through your smartphone by downloading the Eye Jack app. You can
download your activated art map.
Winter Wonderlights at Sovereign Hill
Head down to the Ballarat Mining Exchange and get your game on at the Winteractive Arcade for a tech-tacular weekend, held over two weekends on 29 to 30 June and 13 to 14 July, 2019. Enjoy a massive multiplayer game of Snake, get ready for Drone Legion and they don't forget the retro games and old-school arcade machines. For the tech lovers, immerse yourself in the AR (augmented reality) exhibition, get creative with Tilt Brush or just check out what is cool right now in tech and fashion. Tickets are $10.00 for adults or $5.00 for children or under 6 are free. Purchase tickets
online or at the door.
A winter wonderland isn't complete without an ice-skating rink? The pop-up ice skating rink is in the heart of Ballarat's CBD. A great event for the whole family, with all skill levels catered for. Each session lasts for one hour. Neon Disco sessions will be held from Thursday to Saturday. Visit
here for further information and to book tickets.
The Design Exchange and Bakers Lane will take place in one of the city's beautiful heritage buildings, the Mining Exchange on 6 and 7 July. There will be independent artists and creators, mulled wines, boutique beers, gin bars, wood fire pizzas, a comfy lounge in this cosy atmosphere.
Snow Queen Neva and Knights of Fire at Kryal Castle
Visit the Tigers at the
Ballarat Wildlife Park where you can view Sumatran tigers Maneki and Satu. It's believed there are less than 500 of the species remain in the wild due to the clearing of natural habitat and poaching.
Warm up with
Knights of Fire, The Festival of Flames at
Kryal Castle from 29 June to 14 July. A highlight of the festival is the Joust of The Flame as Sir Hector meets Sir Reynard in a fiery clash of flaming lances and swords on the castle's main arena.
Visit Ballarat from 28 June to 21 July to embrace the chill of their Winter Festival where you can enjoy experiences to warm your heart, soul and belly.
