June 22, 2017
Organisers of this Saturday’s Wondai Country Festival are very excited, because the brand new event just seems to keep getting bigger.
The Festival, which will be held in and around Coronation Park in Wondai’s CBD, announced more new attractions this week.
Apart from a Fun Run, a Fun Walk and a Fun Ride along the South Burnett Rail Trail, festival-goers will also be able to enjoy lots of free family entertainment.
Attractions include performances by the Stolzenberg Brothers, the Stepping Stones, the Wondai Town and District Band, the Wondai CWA Choir and the St John’s Lutheran School Whipcrackers.
Dancers from the Wondai Dance Group and the Kingaroy SHS Dance Group will also perform on the day, and so will the Proston Line Dancers.
Cilla Slack from Blue Gum Farm TV will be offering free interactive entertainment for children at 12:30pm, and Dingo Simon will be bringing along dingoes from his Durong Dingo Sanctuary to let everyone get up close and personal with Australia’s native dogs.
Members of the Wide Bay Historic Machinery Club will be bringing working steam engines, and they’ll be joined by local firies, SES and ambulance personnel showing off their latest gear, too.
There’ll also be jumping castles, face painting, snow cones and fairy floss for kids, and delicious QCWA Devonshire teas for adults to enjoy.
The Kingaroy Hospital Auxiliary will be on hand selling their hard-to-get cookbooks full of classic country recipes, and the QRRRWN will be showing their “Faces Of The South Burnett” photography exhibition.
The Wondai Country Markets – always big – will be bigger than usual, too, with many exhibitors coming especially for the Festival, including some from as far away as Bega on the far south coast of NSW.
The Country Festival will be officially opened by South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell at 9:30am, and the Fun Run/Ride will be opened by Cr Ros Heit.
The day will be capped off by a $15 per head Slim Dusty tribute concert and afternoon tea in the Wondai Town Hall performed by the Chris Cook Band from 2:00pm (the concert gets underway at 3:00pm).
Wondai Art Gallery curator Elaine Madill, who came up with the idea for the Festival after attending an event marketing workshop last year, said she was looking forward to the day.
“We wanted to create something inexpensive and fun that the whole family could enjoy, and I am amazed at how many people have come on board to support this concept,” Elaine said.
“All we need now is a fine day, and the forecast says Saturday will be a perfect winter day.
“So I hope as many people can come along as possible.”
