Night of illumination and art, the inaugural White Night Ballarat went down as quite a historic event! Nobody has seen such massive public participation, with exception perhaps of the great street parades at the beginning of the 20th century!

The great advantage of hosting the night in Ballarat was the leisurely and short distance between all attractions. With much smaller area than Melbourne, Ballarat’s advantage were the arty laneway connecting very wide CBD Ballarat streets. You really didn’t struggle, there was plenty of food and places open all night albeit there were long queues too with 40 thousands of spectators to feed. Most coffee places were open late, some till the morning which was fantastic, unusual and just so nice to have at 5am!

White night featured many local artists, would love to see more but other cultural institutions like BMI – Ballarat Mechanics Institute, have independently organised great events like the world-premiere at midnight of The Night ReVerses, a unique two-man show performed by poet Nathan Curnow and singer songwriter Geoffrey Williams. 

The event closed a bit too early at around 4.3am to many people’s dislike despite being advertised until 7am. There were plenty of people wanting to catch up a different unique atmosphere of the early sunrise, quite a special Sunday morning treat taking into consideration unique Ballarat architecture and the morning light. Perhaps a thought for next year.

www.whitenightballarat.com.au 

White Night Ballarat Mitch King busking on Mair Street
White Night Ballarat Mitch King music Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat
White Night Ballarat Spectators enjoy Mitch King’s busking  Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat
White Night Ballarat Children enjoying Mitch King’s music Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat neon headband
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat crowds Sturt Street
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat projections on Lydiard Street
White Night Ballarat – Lydiard St Sturt St intersection Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat Unicorn Laneway Gallery walk
White Night Ballarat – Unicorn Lane Gallery Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat crowd Sturt Street
White Night Ballarat crowd on Sturt Street Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat building facade light installation
White Night Ballarat – ‘More Than One Nation’ by Pitcha Makin Fellas Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat building facade blue light installation
White Night Ballarat sky Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat crowd Sturt Street
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat crowd Sturt Street
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat crowd Sturt Street
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat love Sturt Street
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat neon lights love
White Night Ballarat bokeh lights Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat art lights installation
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat neon love Carla O'Brien artist
White Night Ballarat of LOVE neon Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat busking outside Mechanics Institute people dancing on sturt street
White Night Ballarat buskers Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat post office gallery light installation
White Night Ballarat – Post Office Gallery projection Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat neon walk by Beth Lamont
White Night Ballarat neon walk by Beth Lamont Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat neon walk by Beth Lamont
White Night Ballarat neon walk by Beth Lamont Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat crowds
White Night Ballarat – looking down Lydiard St Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat crowds Lydiard Street
White Night Ballarat crowd on Lydiard Street Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat Mining Exchange facade light installation
White Night Ballarat projection with local poet Nathan Curnow Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat building facade light installation
White Night Ballarat – Art Gallery projection Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat neon installation lights
White Night Ballarat banner Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat building Hop Temple laneway grafitti art
White Night Ballarat – Hope Temple lane, mural art by Bacon Drum  Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat building facade light installation traffic warden
White Night Ballarat traffic warden Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat sky light installation
White Night Ballarat sky Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat horse police presence
White Night Ballarat strong police presence Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat Nathan Curnow Geoffrey Williams performance
White Night Ballarat – Geoffrey Williams and Nathan Curnow at Ballarat Mechanics Institute event Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat building bicycle lights installation
White Night Ballarat Illuminated bicycle Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat building facade light installation
White Night Ballarat Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat The Space Between Kim Anderson
White Night Ballarat The Space Between Kim Anderson, Black Box Theatre Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat The Space Between Kim Anderson
White Night Ballarat The Space Between Kim Anderson Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat blue night sky
White Night Ballarat night sky Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat all over streets
White Night Ballarat Clean up has begun at the Rat lane Photo©Aldona Kmiec
White Night Ballarat night aftermath party street cleaning
White Night Ballarat Cleaning up Photo©Aldona Kmiec