Excitement is building for this year's Dunolly Gold Rush Festival to be held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October.
The weekend will kick off on Saturday 21 October with the Dunolly Gold Rush Music Festival. This is a ticketed event and will be held at the Dunolly Golf Club from 1 to 6pm.
On Sunday 22 October a full day of fun, free activities are planned from 10am to 4pm at Dunolly's Gordon Gardens.
There will be a variety of stalls, prizes, great music in the Rotunda, the favourite "Hold the Gold" competition, Festival merchandise sales, displays of classic cars, Carisbrook Lions Club's train rides, activities for children, including giant slide and jumping castle, face painting and much more. Plus, there will be food and coffee available.
The adjacent Court House will once again play host to the popular historic dress-ups for selfies, followed by an exciting re-enactment of a trial from the Gold Rush days, as the Grand Finale to the Festival.
Coinciding with our Festival, the vibrant atmosphere of the monthly Dunolly Country Market in Broadway on the Sunday, together with the drawcards of our wonderful Dunolly businesses and an exciting music event, Vibes on Broadway, provided by the Goldfields Music Club, will ensure the whole town is buzzing, with something for everyone.
Central Goldfields Shire Flynn Ward Councillor and Dunolly Gold Rush Festival Ambassador Liesbeth Long said excitement for this year's Festival was huge following the success of last year's event.
"Everyone is just ecstatic to have the Gold Rush Festival returning for a second year after its hiatus.
"There is so much planned and plenty for the whole family to enjoy- from great music, stalls, displays activities for children and food and coffee.
"The volunteer organising committee, Dunolly & District Inc, has done an incredible amount of work in pulling this event together and I can't wait to welcome people back to Dunolly for the Gold Rush Festival."
Dunolly Gold Rush Festival organiser Brian Phillips said it will be great to welcome tourists and locals alike to town for the event.
"This will be a great family-friendly weekend, there will be something for everyone on offer.
"All of our local businesses have got behind the Gold Rush Festival- they'll all have special hessian flags out on display throughout the weekend. We will also be selling Dunolly Gold Rush branded merchandise such as caps, bucket hats, beanies, t-shirts, polo tops and stubby coolers."
Whilst the Festival activities themselves are free of charge, there is no ATM in town, and limited EFTPOS, so it may be advisable to carry some cash for other purchases.
