A big planning meeting with the extended organising committee on Thursday ... all seem to be comfortable and on track with the next phase of Festival planning.  The Strategic Plan is on the table, the report is in and I think the team leaders feel they have time and space and the resourcing to make things happen.  At last--and it only took 3 years--we seem to be on top of things.  Hasten slowly is a good motif for building a Festival such as this.  Christopher Gaze (Bard on the Beach, Vancouver) was surely right when he gave me this advice a few years back.

 

On up to Hervey Bay with Stafford Mortensen (tour manager for the proposed cultural festival offering of SiQP Festival events) to suss out people and places.  I agree with Stafford that the oval is a great spot for the mainstage event; right by the sea and apart from the possible noise from the road, the best spot in town for the show.  The Botanical Gardens are made for a sonnets “journey” to breakfast, so I think this will be the site.  If Michael Gow likes the idea, we could incorporate it into the Toowoomba sonnets breakfast in the Botanical Gardens and trial the notion of walking through the gardens to the (catered) breakfast site.  

 

On another note, I checked out a possible couple of sites for the proposed opera and dinner event as part of Fraser Coast’s cultural festival.  Found a delightful restaurant on Point Vernon called Gattika’s.  Think this could be the one!  Now all the champions up there have to do is to organise the event.

 

Also met with Cynthia Macnee, the HBCC’s arts and cultural officer.  She is a real powerhouse and very helpful with advice.  Stafford has come away with more information as have I, and particularly convinced that we need one of “ours” on the ground a fortnight prior to the event to ensure all is running smoothly.  I think this is going to be a job for the Tourism Marketing appointee.  On that note, had a phone call from someone interested in the job; will send the PD off tomorrow and start following up leads or creating leads to follow.  This position needs to be filled soon.