News Alert |

There are few events that draw in more than half of our population into the CBD in one night.

One event that does that is White Night. And it’s back this September.

As a council, we’re extremely proud of the part we’ve played in getting White Night back to our city.

It’s been wonderful to see White Night expand into regional Victoria over the past few years, showcasing to the world what a great place Victoria, and indeed Ballarat, is to visit. 

It’s events like White Night Ballarat which contribute to our growing reputation as one of Australia’s leading creative cities.

White Night Ballarat is a chance for us to use our beautiful city as a canvas to carry the creative works of others. The premise of White Night aligns completely with our Creative City Strategy, priorities which include introducing our wider community to the power of art. White Night is a wonderful platform to introduce newer generations and different audiences to creative thinking, and sharing our positive creative culture with our wider community.

Our community and visitors know our city has what it takes to host events of this calibre, and it shows on the excited faces of the thousands who attend White Night Ballarat every year.

The shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that fill our streets and the chatter on social media that follows is a good indication of how much this event is appreciated.

In 2017 more than 40,000 people filled the city’s streets for the inaugural White Night Ballarat, this grew to more than 60,000 people in 2018 as the event expanded to more CBD streets and laneways.    The economic spend during 2017 was $3.09 million, growing to $5.01 million in 2018 - filling beds, tables and shops across the city.  I can imagine we will see just as many, if not more, people return this September.

Securing White Night Ballarat 2019 is yet another indication of the confidence the Victorian Government has in Ballarat to host major world-class events.

- Ballarat Mayor Samantha McIntosh