The Eaglehawk UFS Dispensary Gala Parade remains the jewel in the crown of the borough’s Dahlia and Arts Festival, with this year’s event as popular as ever.
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Parade organiser Ros Elsworth estimated up to 6000 people lined High Street for the event, taking in more than 40 floats.
Ms Elsworth said the standard of entries was as strong as ever, with schools, churches, sporting groups, vintage car clubs, pipe and brass bands and pony clubs all participating.
“I think the highlight of the procession was the way that the theme ‘that’s friendly’ was interpreted, there were so many interpretations,” she said.
“We had little chefs from one of the schools with mixing bowls because they’d written a recipe for friendship, we had paper cranes which were what we based the festival theme around, so that was taken up by quite a few of the entrants.”
Ms Elsworth said her own personal highlight was the quality of the entries.
“I think the highlight for me as the organiser is just seeing the work that goes into their entries, it’s pretty awesome,” she said.
“I think the number of entries seems to be the same as last year but the actual content of those entries was definitely more than last year.”
Tania Cursons and her daughters Mikayla, 2, and Taneisha, 12, were enjoying their first parade, with the mascots and the Kalianna School floats firm favourites.
Meanwhile Tyler and Austin Coulson couldn’t go past the Huntly Primary School entry, with Austin winning $200 for his school through his participation in the day’s festivities.
Austin was kicking back enjoying the parade after his win and was suitably impressed with what he saw.
“I thought it was pretty cool,” he said.
Despite having run the parade for the past seven years, Ms Elsworth said it was the first time she had been able to see the floats from the same perspective as everyone else.
“I thought the atmosphere was good, I had to step in as an announcer, so I actually got to see my procession for the first time,” she said.
“I was amongst the crowd and they all enjoyed it I feel, especially the kids.”
Even though she has now moved away from Bendigo, Ms Elsworth continues to organise the parade for her grandchildren who still live in Eaglehawk, as well as the wider community.
“I had to go down to Melbourne and look after my elderly mum and dad, but I have grown up children and grandchildren who live here and I don’t want them to miss out on the Dahlia and Arts Festival,” she said.
“They are a really unique community in Ealgehawk … I just think if we ever lost this festival it’d be a huge gap.”
