General News
3 May, 2024
Koroit turns green
KOROIT has backed up its proclamation as Australia’s Most Irish Town with its biggest festival to date.
With perfect weather conditions last Friday through to Sunday, more than 5,000 people attended the Koroit Irish Festival - up more than 1,000 on last year’s figures.
Last Friday saw a big crowd enjoy the opening night concert in the Koroit Theatre.
On Saturday Koroit’s main street came alive with colour and music as festival goers enjoyed a large range of entertainment for all ages.
The Gaelic Games on Sunday once again attracted many to Victoria Park where they were treated to a quality display of skills and team-work.
Irish ambassador to Australia Tim Mawe was a special guest of the festival committee, as was festival ambassador, Koroit’s very own Maureen Keane.
Koroit Irish Festival president Adele MacDonald said she was overwhelmed by the success of the event.
“It was just amazing; the perfect weekend,” Ms MacDonald said.
“To have such a focus on Koroit was brilliant, not just for the festival but also the town.
“The weeks leading up to the event, everyone was talking about Koroit and it lived up to its hype with a beautiful festival.”
Ms MacDonald said she was justifiably proud of the festival committee and all other volunteers who pitched in across the weekend.
“The whole festival is such a great example of what a community can achieve when it pulls together,” she said.
While the Koroit and greater south-west community supported the festival, the event also turned out to be a lightning rod for tourism to the town.
Ticket sales indicated 70 percent of the audience came from outside the region, with a large number of the Irish community in Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat making the journey to Koroit.
“To have so many people coming to Koroit from all over really helps to put Koroit on the map,” Ms MacDonald said.
“Koroit is now very well known in Irish circles across the state and beyond, we are so proud to be a part of that.”
A highlight of the festival was the addition of a ‘Rock The Boat’ event on the Sunday.
Made famous in the hit TV show Derry Girls, the song has a dance which over 200 people got on the oval at Victoria Park and danced together to.
Koroit has now claimed the title as Australia’s ‘Rock The Boat’ capital and is looking to grow the number of dancers taking part in 2025.
“It was so much fun and another unique thing we now have for our festival,” Ms MacDonald said.
