General News
26 June, 2026
Thousands rug up for Solstice Search Party
ALMOST 5,000 people rugged up, embraced the elements and joined the fun at the Solstice Search Party at Lake Pertobe last Saturday.
Presented by Warrnambool City Council, the free winter event brought together fire, light, live music, illuminated art, family activities and food in a celebration of the shortest days of the year.
Warrnambool mayor Cr Ben Blain said it was fantastic to see such a strong crowd despite the wet weather.
“We’ve been quite fortunate with the weather in recent years, so it was really great to see that even when we had a few showers, people were happy to stick around and enjoy the fun,” he said.
“People came in their rain jackets, their boots and their beanies, and a little bit of rain wasn’t going to stop them from having a good time.
“The new additions this year were all really popular. The fire dancers were spectacular, everyone loved the giant animal lanterns and the silent disco walking tours were a fun way for people to experience the event throughout the evening.
“The returning favourites were very popular too, including the Nurture in Nature kids’ craft activities, the projections from One Day Studios and, of course, the neon sculptures.
“The live music was also a big hit. We went with an all-local line-up this year and they drew a strong crowd throughout the event.”
The mayor thanked all those who went along and joined the fun.
“This is a free event we host for the whole community to enjoy, and it’s a real team effort across our organisation, led by our events team.”
Cr Blain said that Solstice Search Party was part of a busy winter events calendar.
“There’s plenty more fun to come this winter, with the Brick Show upstairs at the Lighthouse Theatre, KidFEST, the Flagstaff Hill school holiday program, the Warrnambool Storytelling Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival all coming up.”
The Brick Show will feature some incredible Lego models as well as a free play zone.
KidFEST will offer three days of activities for children aged two to 10 and Flagstaff Hill has a packed school holiday program.
Warrnambool City Council residents can also enjoy free entry to Flagstaff Hill.
“The Warrnambool Storytelling Festival continues to get bigger and better each year and the Melbourne International Film Festival is an exciting new addition for Warrnambool, so there are lots of good reasons to get out and enjoy winter in Warrnambool.”
To find out more about upcoming winter events, visit whatson.warrnambool.vic.gov.au
