Moyneyana Festival

24 December - 26 January

A beachside summer holiday is the quintessential Australian vacation and no other town in the country has as much to offer as Port Fairy and its annual Moyneyana Festival. The annual festival is in its 64th year and spans the Christmas, New Year and January summer holiday period, extending right through until Australia Day on January 26th. Events and entertainment is largely focused on families.

Each annual event is themed - the 64th Festival theme in 2011/2012 will be "Carnivale" and the major sponsor for the year is 3YB Coast FM.   Events, such as the New Year's Eve float parade, adopt the theme and local businesses and community groups compete for prizes for the best float. The prize pool this year is $3000, split among several categories, some of which are tailored to the theme such as "Best use of Recycled Material", "Most Elaborate Costume Float", "Best Multi-Cultural Carnivale theme" and "Best Youth Entry - Carnivale".

The festival begins on the Village Green on December 24th with a Christmas Eve Party  and entertainment from the Port Fairy Citizen's Band, the Port Singers, the Colour Angel, Louis the Balloon Boy, a traders BBQ and the traditional arrival of Santa, with a different surprise mode of transport each year. He has yet to bring his reindeer.

Other events over the festival include:

• Lions Club Annual Art & Textiles Exhibition
• New Year's Eve band (Streamliners backing the Real Sisters) and fireworks at midnight
• The Port Fairy Surf Life Saving Club Duck Derby on New Year's Day
• Summer by the Sea activities with Coastcare DSE
• Learn to surf, scuba dive and stand up paddle board surfing
• Summer movies - both indoor and outdoor
• Guided walks around the town, the wharf and the cemetery
• Markets, fairs and exhibitions
• A Community Market at King George Square on New Year's Day and each Saturday
• Wooden & Classic Boats Display
• A Kids Fun Day
• And many more events.

Download the festival program here

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Crowd numbers at Moyneyana peak on New Year's Eve, New Year's day and the Australia Day holiday. Summer is peak trading for local businesses and the additional visitors attracted to the area by the Moyneyana events add to the local community spirit. The enthusiasm of local businesses and groups in creating events and being involved in activities, such as the New Year's Eve float parade, make the festival a highlight of the annual calendar.

The Moyneyana Festival is one of the premiere events on the South West Coast of Victoria.