AusLeisure

With White Night Melbourne to return to the streets, laneways and gardens of the Victorian capital from dusk till dawn on Saturday 18th February 2017, it has been announced that the event will also be introduced to Ballarat next year.

Announcing that the inaugural White Night Ballarat will be held on Saturday 4th March 2017, Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren stated “Ballarat is a wonderful regional centre with a superb streetscape. What better location for the first ever regional White Night?

“This event will attract visitors from all over Victoria and Australia, and that's great for the local economy.”

City of Ballarat Mayor Des Hudson added “White Night is a spectacular kaleidoscope of colour and movement, and from dusk until dawn Ballarat will be seen and heard as never before.

“This renowned event is a priceless opportunity to showcase Ballarat’s beautiful heritage streetscape to the world.”

Minister Eran also announced the appointment of new Artistic Director and Executive Producer David Atkins OAM, who takes over the White Night helm from Andrew Walsh AM after four successful White Night Melbourne events from 2013-2016.

Atkins has been the Artistic Director and Producer on some of the largest live events of this decade, across continents, languages and international audiences, including the Sydney 2000 Olympic Ceremonies, the Ceremonies of the Doha 2006 Asian Games, the Opening, Closing and Victory Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the Opening Ceremony of Shanghai 2010 World Expo, the Ceremonies of the 2011 New Zealand Rugby World Cup and the Ceremonies of the 12th Arab Games Doha 2011. Most recently he was the Artistic Director and Producer for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Flag Handover Ceremony at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.​

Ballarat now joins Melbourne; Paris; Toronto, Canada and Sao Paolo in Brazil as part of an international network of creative cities holding Nuit Blanche (White Night) events annually.

White Night Melbourne 2016 attracted 580,000 to the CBD and surrounds. As well as projections and special events, such as an all-night circus event at Melbourne Museum, the eastern edge of the city, the night features bands, performances, and installations in unusual locations.

Earlier White Nights in Melbourne were plagued by overcrowding. In response, organisers expanded the event's footprint to lessen the crush along Swanston Street, the city's main thoroughfare.

For more information go to www.whitenightmelbourne.com.au

Image: White Night illuminates Melbourne's Flinders Street Station.

20th February 2016 - THOUSANDS EXPECTED TO BE PART OF WHITE NIGHT 2016

14th November 2015 - ‘BEHIND THE SCENES’ EXHIBITION OPENS AT SOVEREIGN HILL

16th August 2015 - WHITE NIGHT FESTIVAL TO RETURN TO MELBOURNE IN 2016

22nd February 2015 - VICHEALTH URGES SPORT HATERS TO DANCE FOR WELLNESS

19th June 2014 - BLUEPRINT TO ENSURE MELBOURNE REMAINS THE ARTS CAPITAL

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.