Carnivale Wodonga HARMONY

March 9 to 12, 2012

Carnivale Wodonga is the City of Wodonga's signature event over the Labour Day weekend. Carnivale aims to foster the creative capacity of the community, celebrate our identity and connect and contribute to the profile of Wodonga This year the theme is 'Harmony' celebrating our multicultural heritage and beginnings via Bonegilla and the new and emerging cultures within our city.

The program for Carnivale Wodonga HARMONY to date is:

Carnivale Wodonga Film - Friday, March 9, 2012. Butter Factory Theatre, Gateway Village, Lincoln Causeway

Gateway Village is the arts and cultural precinct of Wodonga. It has a range of talented and creative tenants who create, exhibit and perform all forms of arts from performing arts to visual arts to dance and music. Gateway Village will be extending their hours on Friday to showcase what they do so come down before the film and see an exhibition and listen to Vardos, a Melbourne three-piece, play their gypsy and traditional European tunes from 5pm.
At 7pm, head to the Butter Factory Theatre for drinks and nibbles and the French film Welcome, which tells the story of a swimming coach who tries to help a young Iraqi-Kurdish illegal immigrant, whose dream is to cross the English Channel to be reunited with his girlfriend. Tickets to see the film are free, but registration is essential as seats are limited. Please phone Chelsea on (02) 6022 9223 or email your name and number of tickets to cmclaren@wodonga.vic.gov.au

Carnivale Wodonga Market - Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 9am to 1pm, High St, Wodonga

Community market stalls and High St traders will join the Carnivale spirit and trade from Wodonga's CBD. Visitors can enjoy the hand-made local craft and original pieces, as well as some of the region's finest produce and delectable food. Be entertained by local buskers as they perform amoungst the market stalls. It's business as usual for Wodonga shops in the CBD with a buzzing market atmosphere.

Choir performance times in Woodland Grove:

10.30am Wild Choir

11.30am Vital Voices

12.05pm Sing Australia

12.30pm 'Big Harmony' come and join this community singing session

Cultural Connections - Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 10.30am, Arts Space Wodonga

Exhibition opening and artist talk from 10.30am. For further details, please click here.

Carnivale Wodonga Street Festival - Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 4pm to 8.30pm, Wodonga CBD

Carnivale Wodonga HARMONY culminates into a dynamic street festival with live stage entertainment including Asanti Dance Theatre for African drumming and dance performances and workshops, Wadaiko Rindo for Taiko classes and performances, Verchovyna Ukranian Dance Ensemble, The Mexican Chicas, Carlitos Way and the Serbian Orthodox Dance Group. Some of the surprises at Carnivale street festival include stage performances by Richard Perso, Fiesta Viva Mariachi Band, Vardos, Carlitos Way.

Youth Zone - Woodland Grove from 1pm to 8pm
Check out the water tower youth zone to challenge your friends on the Playstation 3, listen to music, charge your phone so you can chat with friends, or chill out and watch all the Carnivale action. Giveaways for those aged 14 to 20 years throughout the day.

Cultural Flash
'Cultural Flash' is a dance project that will engage the local Bhutanese and African communities in working with professional dance artists to create a unique, choreographed dance that honours traditional and contemporary dance and explores cultural concepts through movement. The choreography will be taught in workshops at secondary schools, neighborhood houses and community facilities and then performed at Carnivale Wodonga HARMONY, in three ‘flash mobs' (a sudden assemblage of people in the crowd that start to perform) throughout the street festival on Saturday evening. Everyone is invited to attend the workshops and be a part of the community celebration. No experience is required. Please contact Verity Brookes on (02) 6022 9253 for bookings and enquiries.

Kites Of Carnivale
'Kites Of Carnivale' is a community arts project conducted in primary schools and community organisations by professional artists. Participants will be asked to make a kite that represents their cultural links and identity. The kites will then all be displayed at Carnivale Wodonga HARMONY for the whole community to enjoy.
The project is free to participants. Workshops are planned for between Monday, February 13 and Friday, March 9. Please contact Verity Brookes on (02) 6022 9253 for bookings and enquiries.

Wodonga Wishing Tree
Local artist Vicki Luke is creating a Wishing Tree for Wodonga. You are invited to visit the Wishing Tree at Woodland Grove during the festival and add your dreams and wishes for Wodonga.

Carnivale Costume Tent
The Carnivale costume tent will be located in Woodland Grove during Wodonga Carnivale HARMONY. Festival participants can enter the tent in their everyday clothing and come out in fun and vibrant Carnivale costumes.

Carnivale Wodonga STOMP in March, 2011.

Interactive stalls

Creative community groups and organisations will host interactive stalls at Woodland Grove as part of the Carnivale Wodonga Festival. Bring the whole family to join in, make something and take it home as a memento of your day.

Other

Carnivale Wodonga will showcase a variety of roving characters that will surprise you at every corner.

Geisha Girls: Elegant, majestic, beautiful and slightly cheeky the Geishas will show you how the Geisha's dance for you on their stilts.

The Golden Emperors: The imperial court comes to Wodonga as characters dressed in full satin kimonos perform ancient rituals and dance. Witness a tea ceremony with a difference: Be an emperor for a night!

The Mexican Chicas: Senoritas are traditionally not allowed in Mexican Mariachi Bands. So these performers are in disguise, with false moustaches, low voiced banter, macho walking and plenty of Grunt! The trumpet player may serenade audience members, and the authentic Mexican drummer will entertain with Mexican jokes.

Road closures: Stanley St and High St (between Lawrence and Elgin streets) will be closed to traffic from 5am on Saturday, March 10 and re-open at 12.30am on Sunday, March 11.

After the street festival: Richard Perso will be playing at O'Mailles Pub in High St, Wodonga from 8pm and Michael Meeking and The Lost Souls will be playing from 8pm at St Ives Biere Cafe, Lincoln Causeway, Wodonga.

Hut To Hut Film Trail - Friday, March 9, 2012 to Monday, March 12, 2012, 10am to 4pm daily at Bonegilla Migrant Experience, Bonegilla Rd, Bonegilla

Join in the trail and experience a series of short films, traditional games and fun set in the historic Block 19 huts at Bonegilla. Suitable for all ages, small groups and families. Bring your own picnic lunch and rug. For more details, please phone (02) 6020 6912.

Volunteers

Carnivale Wodonga HARMONY is fast approaching and Wodonga Council is keen to put together a team of volunteers to assist with various tasks throughout this exciting time.

If you are interested in assisting at Wodonga Carnivale HARMONY in a voluntary capacity, please complete the attached volunteer form and return it to:

Jane Evans, Wodonga Council, PO Box 923, Wodonga VIC 3689

Phone: (02) 6022 9371 Mobile: 0403 604 131 Email: jevans@wodonga.vic.gov.au

Download the DL flyer for the event below. For directions how how to get here or accommodation in Wodonga, please visit the Wodonga Visitor Information Centre.

Major sponsor of Carnivale Wodonga HARMONY:

McDonalds Homemaker Centre Wodonga

McDonald's Wodonga Homemaker strives to be more than just a restaurant - it is a first job for many, provides career paths for others, a community partner, employs more than 100 local people and is owned and operated by Ed and Elisa Aldridge, who have more than 14 years experience in the inudstry.