The famous festival at “Victoria’s prettiest sportsground” is back this Easter Saturday, March 30.
The Blackwood Woodchop & Easter Carnival will kick off with it’s traditional street parade featuring floats, costumes, a brass band and Hetty the Hen, at 11am.
It will wind its way down to the Blackwood Recreation Reserve on the Lerderderg River for the annual woodchoppers competition as well as market stalls, food vans, family sports activities such as gumboot throwing, tug of war, a children’s zoo and a pet show.
The festival is stepping up its musical talent this year with performances from blues artist C.W. Stoneking and Australian Celtic band Austral, who combine didgeridoo, Irish pipes, high-powered fiddling, journeying songs and energetic foot percussion.
There’ll also be Scots singer Fiona Ross joined by fellow songstress Christine Kydd, who’ll be visiting from Scotland, and more.
Blackwood Progress Association president Brendan Hehir said the Easter festival has its origins in the 1870’s when events included shooting, rock drilling, explosives and the “new-fangled sport of cycling”.
“The event has then been staged each Easter since 1902 – unless a war or pandemic Intervened,” he said.
“Now, the famous woodchop competition in its 72nd year and gold panning for the kids has replaced the competitive handling of dynamite.
“To the community the carnival is a reminder of our mining and forestry history but also that, ever since the gold gave out, we have been a holiday town. We know how to host visitors year-round but we do it particularly well each Easter Saturday.”
Entry is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, and free for kids under 16. All activities and music are free.
Details: blackwood3458.com.au/
