Last weekend was the Toolangi Castella festival, which started with a BBQ and a band playing and then the moonlight cinema. The film was Avatar and it was played outside on the local oval surrounded by bushland, which really couldn't have been a better setting. The day had been very warm. So as the sun went down, it cooled considerably and coats or blankets were the order of the day as well as the obligatory insect repellent.Many months of planning and organising went in to make this such a successful event, it is part of my job to help with these community activities. Volunteers arrived on the Saturday to help erect all the marquees, man the BBQ, erect the stage and direct traffic and car parking. These types of local events, on very meagre budgets would never run without the enthusiastic help offered by such generous people.
The following day all the activities followed, there was the reptile tent where you could get up close and personal with snakes and crocs (not my cup of tea). The bush babies were a great draw for children and adults alike, with lots of aahhhh moments. The adorable little ( I say little, because he was only a few months old but weighed 20kgs) wombat, who was lapping up all the attention. The Toolangi Castella Youth Group had a great stall and were running apple bobbing, eating doughnuts on a string in the air with your hands behind your back, estimating the jelly beans in a jar games, lucky dip etc. There was a tethered hot air balloon, entertainment going on all day, dancing, singing, a velcro wall for those energetic souls who wish to don a non flattering suit and jump as high as they can and stick to the wall and jumping castles for the smaller adventurers. A horse drawn cart with seating brought festival goes from the assigned parking to the reserve as well as a small minivan for those who wanted to get to the action sooner. There were free massage sessions on offer all day as well as an array of craft stalls. I had my little card stall, selling cards (what else), gift bags, tags, bottle tags, decorated food bags etc. I had prepared a sampling of all my wares, to tempt passers by, in an orange and pink theme (pumpkin pie and rose red to my SU buddies). A friend had very kingly loaned me her pillow box die and scalloped envelope die ( which I used to make the sweet/lolly boxes), the pendant boxes I made from my own template. The weather was very kind to us on the day ( it had been raining for weeks prior) and only started to drizzle as the festival was winding down at 4pm and the raffle was being drawn. There were twenty fab prizes, including a bike, a weekend stay, cases of wine, meals at wineries, tickets to an event of your choice at Rochford winery, tickets to the Australian Ballet, hampers from delis and farms, I could go on and on, but I will spare you. I didn't win anything, (but then again I never do, I am a very unlucky person in that regard) but I knew plenty of those who did.
I sold many cards and a few bags and even some of my demo items from the tree. All in all it was a great weekend. I was completely pooped in the evening though, after moving tables and chairs, erecting and dismantling marquees and tiding up the oval, this lady was ready for her bed by 9.30pm.
