10th DREAM FESTIVAL TO RETURN WITH POPULAR EVENTS AS HEADLINERS
After a little hiatus in 2020, DREAM Festival is returning to the Dubbo Region in 2021, with Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) engaged to work with the former volunteer-based committee to bring back some of the most popular events. Running from 14 – 24 October 2021, DREAM Festival is aimed at bringing some of the region’s most creative and talented producers together for 10 days of entertainment.
Manager Regional Events Kim Hague said DRC is committed to the continuation of the annual event, after the popularity of it meant that the volunteer committee wanted some further assistance to deliver DREAM.
“We’ve all seen how popular the DREAM Festival has grown to become over the 11 years thanks to the hard word of the volunteer committee and Council will continue to work with the committee to help bring this event to new heights. Attendees can expect to see all the standard, popular events, such as the lantern parade, musical artists and the popular market stalls,” said Ms Hague.
Other items planed in the program will utilise the amazing facilities and spaces owned and operated by Dubbo Regional Council, including Shoyoen Japanese Gardens which will host a cultural event, and the Music + Markets will be held at Victoria Park – the final event in the show-stopping line up of activities.
“We’ll also see some of the region’s best musical artists and performers, along with the Lantern Parade, which will be held on 23 October with school and community lantern workshops planned during the 10 days of the festival – where more than 300 school students previously participated. We’re also partnering with Taronga Western Plains Zoo for Zoocoustic – an afternoon of acoustic sounds set amongst the peaceful surrounds of the zoo,” said Ms Hague.
Macquarie Credit Union has been a great supporter of the festival since 2014, and will continue this support for the 2021 festival. DREAM has a consistent attendance of 20,000+ people over the past three years. Of these, more than 5,000 attendees have been from outside the Dubbo Regional Local Government Area.
Dubbo Region Mayor Stephen Lawrence says that DRC is proud to deliver this whole-of-community event, showcasing the region’s rich tapestry of culture and creativity. Councillor Lawrence says the DREAM Festival will be the first large event by DRC which will encourage sustainability practices for exhibitors.
“The DREAM Festival aims to minimise our impact on the environment, so exhibitors and participants are encouraged to assist by reducing waste, water and electricity requirements. There are already some proactive businesses that are using more sustainable packaging such as eco-friendly plates and cutlery, as well as paper straws. The recommendation to ensure DRC runs more sustainable events was recently adopted at the June 2021 Council meeting, so it’s fantastic to see that it’s already being implemented,” said Councillor Lawrence.
Dubbo Regional Council would like to thank this year’s supporters and sponsors who have helped bring DREAM Festival back - bigger than ever before. Information about this year’s DREAM Festival can be found at www.dreamfest.com.au.
Image caption: The lantern parade is expected to be another popular event in 2021
Last Edited: 17 Jul 2023