BY 11am last Sunday, the fifth annual Fishy Stories Festival at Fish Creek had already worked up a head of steam and the town was alive with colour, movement and music.
An army of kids were seen dashing around the barbecue rotunda in cardboard armour and helmets with swords drawn, others were listening attentively as the creators of 12 ‘Real Pigeons’ books, Andrew McDonald and former Mirboo North Secondary School student Ben Wood, showed them how it was done, while members of Invy Horn Jam Band provided the soundtrack.
Fish Creek icon, Alison Lester, celebrating her own birthday and 10 years at her bookstore in town, had just completed a storytelling workshop in a packed marquee on the tennis courts, followed by author Andrea Rowe, best known for her book ‘Jetty Jumping’.
There was coffee and plenty of food including a sausage sizzle by the Fish Creek Scouts and a cake stall manned by the Fish Creek Primary School parents.
All the cafés in town were doing good business… Fish Creek was absolutely humming.
But then, oh dear, the rain came, not like the brief shower in the morning, but a more persistent burst, a break and then more rain.
It was enough to put a damper on the day, ahead of the official opening at 12.30pm and sadly, the festival never reached the heights achieved in the morning.
Speaking at the opening, program organizer Deb Bray was nonetheless delighted with the first-class talent the organizing committee had managed to attract, the turnout of visitors and locals supporting the day and “the amazing bunch of volunteers” who had pitched in to make a day such a success.
Strong supporter of the arts, returning South Gippsland councillor, Sarah Gilligan, acknowledged the typical South Gippsland weather but thanked everyone for coming just the same. She congratulated Alison Lester on being “a trail blazer’ for the vibrant arts community in the shire, and revealed that Alison’s books and illustrations, including Magic Beach, had provided some of the inspiration for coming to the area with her family.
“Fish Creek today embarks on a journey of mystery and imagination. The Fishy Stories Festival is a celebration of the boundless opportunities that story telling offers.”
Earlier, local students Chloe Littlejohn and Addie Manne had provided the ‘welcome to country’.
The action continued after the opening, with the Fish Creek Hall packed for Luigi Zucchini the Magician and some live performances from the Fishy Stories Writing Challenge and book signings by the likes of Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood.
As well as the 12 Real Pigeons books, including the latest ‘Power Up’, Andrew and Ben have also written and illustrated eight ‘Hello Twigs’ a graphic novel series for beginner readers full of nature, creativity, emotions and friendship, an idea hatched at a work picnic when the pair started drowing eyes on twigs.
That’s 20 books and counting… not bad for a Mirboo North kid!
So, that was the Fishy Stories Festival for another year, and despite the weather (because of it when you think about it), it will be back again bigger and better next year.
Major donors and supporters for the event include the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal and Bendigo Community Bank with the South Gippsland Shire Council and regional tourism body Destination Gippsland major partners.