Who’s got the biggest Winterland experience, Camden or Campbelltown?
If you ask the Campbelltown Mayor, George Brticevic, there’s just no comparison.
“It’s like comparing a grape, Camden’s, and a watermelon, ours,’’ the mayor said in response to a question from Cr Paul Lake at last week’s council meeting.
The veteran councillor and former mayor wanted to know why Campbelltown was not included in a four page Winterland spread in a Sunday paper.
“They were all there with their advertisements, but why didn’t we have one to promote our Winterland,’’ Cr Lake asked.
But the mayor was ready and recounted how Channel 9 was not only a sponsor of Campbelltown Winterland this year but had also featured it several times during its news bulletins.
The South West Voice can vouch for that as we also saw Channel 9 broadcast its weather forecast from Koshigaya Park, the venue for Campbelltown’s Winterland.
“I’d say publicity on a television station is worth a lot more than in a paper,’’ Cr Brticevic responded.
Campbelltown Council has now produced figures to show Winterland 2019 held during July 5-21 – 5 was indeed a big hit with both locals and regional visitors.
Council says overall there were more than 50,000 riders on the amusement rides and 15,000 people took to ice skating.
They also got very hungry, buying more than 5,000 chips on a stick.
The giant ferris wheel was the star of the show with festival goers queueing up for the chance to have fun and see Campbelltown from greater heights.
The festival hosted two ice skating rinks, a snow play area, live music, live ice sculpting, a treetop circus, open fires, fireworks, carnival rides, two quiet sessions, winter food and a shopping village.
Council says its Winterland has become a favourite winter school holiday destination for local and regional families who embraced the opportunity to keep the children occupied and engage in some outdoor family fun.
Feedback from the event was very positive, with one attendee, Ruth, of Campbelltown, even referring to the festival as “world class”.
“I just wanted to seize the opportunity to thank and congratulate you on the tremendous success of Winterland. My son and I attended last night. It was such a well organised and world class event which made me proud to be a community member of Campbelltown as I am sure it did many others. Congratulations again and thank you very much,’’ Ruth wrote as part of the feedback.
