Southern Lights Festival

We can all agree, South Gippsland in the winter isn’t the best time to venture outside, particular at night.

The Southern Lights Festival was first held in 2019 and encourages people of all ages to embrace the cold and enjoy a winters evening with their family, friends and community. In 2023 it was held at Coal Creek Community Park and Museum on June 11 2023, with over 5,000 people enjoying an evening of entertainment, music and food. Many more wanted to enjoy the event, but capacity of the Park was exceeded quickly, causing organisers to have to turn people away.

Later in the evening, a bonfire was lit by South Gippsland Shire Councillors and fireworks were set off to mark the end of the event.

As event goers walked through Coal Creek, there were roving neon entertainers, fire twirlers, large puppet bugs, face painters, stilt walkers, laser light displays, light drums, lights on trees, lighting along walk ways, lanterns and two stages with live music and DJs. The event has not always been hosted at Coal Creek, but with the event being cancelled or inhibited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it gave the event organisers a chance to rethink this event for the future.

It was a great showcase of how multiple organisations could work together to create a really successful event for Korumburra. Over the weekend in Korumburra, Spendmapp data showed visitor spending increased by 42 per cent, with residents spending also increasing by 22 per cent on the same weekend the previous year. The success of the event was made even sweeter by the contributions of more than 50 volunteers who made the night possible.