SUNNY weather and an influx of visitors from all ends of the State ensured the town’s premier gardening, arts and music festival was yet again another roaring success.
The joint Rotary Club of Casterton and Casterton Garden Club’s MAGIC weekend attracted busloads of visitors from Horsham and Warrnambool, while hundreds more made their own way from places such as Nhill, Lascelles, Tahara, Hamilton, Port Fairy, Portland, Geelong and Ballarat to visit the four exquisitely prepared gardens in Casterton.
One of the organisers behind the festival, garden club member and Rotarian Robbie Greene, said the perfect weather was all that the organisers could ask for. He said interest from garden clubs throughout the Western District was overwhelming and he was confident the event could only grow bigger in the years to come.
He said planning such events early in the year was always a risk because of the likelihood of bad weather, but the two clubs had been extremely fortunate that rain had not dampened this or last year’s MAGIC day.
Visitors were welcomed at the four gardens by pleasant music that played from 10am non-stop and the ever-present smell of various foods cooking at a number of stalls. The Artists In The Valley group was well represented at all four venues with exhibitions of their work that attracted plenty of interest.
It is amazing that the MAGIC day has developed so quickly in such a short time. It started last year with plenty of promise. That promise developed this year into a major event that will be on the district’s calendar for many years to come.
It will become almost as popular as the Kelpie Festival, providing organisers continue to improve the event each year. People spoke with enthusiasm about travelling vast distances to join in the festivities and promised to return next year with family friends.
They enjoyed visiting the various gardens and being able to chat with the owners about their gardens and how they manage to maintain them in such a beautiful way.
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