Shepparton Arts Festival Opening Night

Shepparton Arts Festival Opening Night -

 Mapping Shepparton

The opening night of the Shepparton Arts Festival held at The Aussie Hotel Shepparton, was an event bubbling with hopes and expectations. As a festival with the sole purpose of providing the community with art in an affordable and available space, it was refreshing to see a taste of this already on display in the courtyard of the popular hotel. 

The opening evening gave all attendees a taste of the cultural delights that were to come; with a series of pieces played by the Inventi Ensemble and Sean Rafferty's Cartonography exhibition. With the underlying theme of the festival being "unique events in unusual places" the Cartonography display tied in perfectly. With numerous fruit packing boxes sourced from the regional orchards in the area of Greater Shepparton City, it also complimented the overall theme of the festival which is 'Mapping
 Shepparton'. 

The atmosphere was vibrant, and being a newcomer to the festival scene, entirely welcoming. There were numerous smiling faces ready and willing to advocate the positive effect and influence of the festival as a whole. With the speeches given by various pillars of the Festival community, a distinct vibe of pride and enjoyment radiated into the crowd. This event entirely changed my perspective on the frequently used word 'festival' and made me, and I'm sure many other attendees, greatly anticipate events to come.