FESTIVAL NEWS - April 2024

Peterborough Art and Cultural Festival a Great Success Over the Easter weekend the annual Peterborough Art and Cultural Festival ran from Thursday March 28th to Monday April 1st. In perfect autumnal weather, the town was abuzz with many visitors and locals attending the exhibitions of quilting from the Peterborough Patchworkers, the historic Printworks, the fascinating Wireworks and Papier Mache at the Goods Shed, the Craft Fair at the Art Centre and the Community Garden, to name a few. For the younger people was a disco and art display at the Youth Centre, a Creature Feature movie in the Steamtown Theatrette with a classic newsreel from the '70s, a Tweety Bird and Sylvester the Cat cartoon, followed by the main event, "The Giant Claw", a '50s classic. At the official Opening of the Peterborough Art Prize on Thursday night, Art Prize Committee Chairperson Mike Hainsworth and Mayor Ruth Whittle welcomed the guests, artists, and judges of the four categories - Sculpture, Stitchery, Photography and Painting. The winner of the painting section was Hans Koppan. A full list of winners can be seen by visiting prac.org.au. Saturday was particularly busy with the Festival Markets, a concert by the Peterborough Singers in St. Peter's Anglican Church, a karaoke night at the Junction Hotel as well as all the ongoing exhibitions. All the Churches had their traditional Easter Services, with many visitors attending. Sunday morning's Easter Egg hunt in Victoria Park was followed by the Ute, Truck and Automotive Show in Don Ferguson Drive which is always a popular event. With Easter being early this year, the weather was quite warm, but a heavy downpour late on Sunday afternoon only added to the excitement. We always welcome rain in Peterborough, and it held off nicely. The theme for the 2024 Festival was 'Reuse - Recycle' and there were some excellent works around the town to highlight our theme. Once again, the Peterborough Art and Cultural Festival was a huge success. In the coming days we have an Adelaide Symphony Orchestra concert at 11.00am Thursday April 18th in the beautiful Peterborough Town Hall. One of Peterborough's Distinguished Sons, the renowned tenor Thomas Edmonds, will be having a book-signing event on Sunday April 28th at 2.00pm in the historic Yongala Hall as he returns for a local launch of 'Ev'ry Valley, a Tenor's Journey'. For now, we have a couple of months to recuperate and get the creative thinking caps on as we prepare for Easter 2025. See you then! Peter Hopkins, Festival Committee President