Pam Jewson, Maldon Eat Drink Events Inc., Tarrangower Times
Earlier this year, an estimated 1,000 people attended the Maldon Twilight Festival. The 18th Maldon Twilight Festival is on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 January 2024. On the back of the success of the Friday Night Market, with the support of traders and residents in Main Street, the intention is to make this a permanent two-day event on the Maldon calendar.
The established Twilight Dinner has become a much-anticipated event for many visitors to the region. Research conducted earlier this year estimated that visitor spending for the weekend provided more than a $1 million boost to the Maldon economy. Tickets went on sale last week for Twilight Dinner, with more than 70 tables instantly snapped up.
Unfortunately, with many new regulations mandated over past years regarding insurance, liquor control, safety management, terrorism and, of course, Covid, this event now has to undergo all the same scrutiny and regulations that apply to major events such as Moomba. The volunteers that band together to make this event happen are ageing, and the pressure to have all this work done to comply to regulations in a few hours of available set-up time has taken its toll on many of our workforce.
To keep the event viable, we need to think smarter and make the load on the few easier.
So, here is the plan come January 2024….
As per the previous Twilight Dinner, we will close off Main Street to traffic (High St to Templeton St) on Friday night 19 January at 5pm to allow set up for the night market. The street will then remain closed to traffic until 11pm.
We will open up one-way access to all vehicles as per last year (In: High St / Out: Dolphin St) between 11pm 19 January and 10am 20 January for any overnight and early morning trade.
Main Street (between High and Templeton Streets) will then be closed at 10am, 20 January, to allow set up for the Twilight Dinner and remain closed to traffic till 1am Sunday 21 January. Pedestrian access will remain open till 6pm Saturday 20 January.
Between 6pm and 11pm, access to Main Street will only be granted to ticket holders for the Twilight Dinner. Please note that to minimise the use of cyclone fencing that we know destroys the ambience of our town, access has to include a footpath area.
Friday night we would love all traders to remain open again and showcase their wares on the footpath. We will invite local producers, wineries, artists/makers to set up stalls on the road between High Street and Dolphin Street and engage bands to play on the Bank Corner stage. The highlight of the night will again be a lantern parade and entertainment from the Maldon Primary School.
The Friday night event will again be free access to all, and we hope to capture the many visitors that arrive on the Friday night for Twilight Dinner.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 8 September 2023.
