If it’s all about the numbers, then the Lakes Lights event was a spectacular success.
The now annual lantern parade and art installation on the Lakes Entrance foreshore, footbridge and Main Beach surrounds, as part of the growing East Gippsland Winter Festival, was enormous last Saturday despite less than ideal conditions.
In short, 5363 tickets were booked for patrons to cross the footbridge to visit the lantern displays and lighting installations, 949 people participated in the lantern parade, and more than 700 lanterns were made by community members and artists at workshops throughout the month of the festival.
“This year was the biggest turnout we’ve had for Lakes Lights, and our data suggests that over 50 per cent are visitors to East Gippsland,” East Gippsland Winter Festival founder, Adam Bloem said.
“That’s around 3000 out of region visitors traveling to Lakes Entrance and other parts of East Gippsland in the winter school holidays, who might have otherwise gone to Queensland or Bali.
IMAGE: The Lakes Lights lantern parade, art installation and market on the foreshore as part of the East Gippsland Winter Festival was a huge success last Saturday, described by organisers as the best in the three years of the festival. (Photo: Sherise Fleming of Central Gippsland Photography)
