Early figures point to another booming year for the Coastal Twist Festival despite the NSW Central Coast sweltering through record temperatures over the weekend, with participants enjoying arts, culture, music and ideas across 15 events over seven days and nights.
The week long festival launched on Tuesday last week with a private art exhibition party overflowing with the who’s who of the Central Coast community.
Professional, governmental and local business leaders attended the party which was opened up to the public later in the evening.
35 percent of the artworks on display by local artists sold during this opening night event.
70 percent of the festival’s ticketed events in venues across Gosford, Ettalong, Woy Woy and Umina sold out including the cabaret show and dance party.
Organisers say thank you
“We are so very honoured in the support, attendance and love as the festival continues to grow and evolve as an original and locally made festival leading the way in that delivering something new, authentic and local can bring locals together and new visitors to the region which have this year come from across the nation from over 200 Australian postcodes which is mind boggling,” festival director Glitta Supernova said, following the close of the festival.
“Coastal Twist Festival, now in its third year, is already enshrined as a unique and much loved original quirky Australiana vibrant beachside coastie experience that’s not to be missed.”
Fair Day was the only event where numbers were down slightly this year due to Sunday’s extreme heat.
But more than 6,500 visitors braved the extreme fire danger heat, winds and sand storms to support a magical day of LGBTIQA+ celebration.
The Fair Day hosted multiple other zones including YAAS Central Coast Youth space, a food court, bar and retail area with an additional community space and audiences taking the opportunity to jump into the ocean to cool down and come back to dance, eat and enjoy the entertainment – from kiddie area drag story time, circus and sensory play to mainstream music artists Kira Puru and Cry Club entertaining the masses.
A safe week of partying
Police reported no festival related incidents but medics treated a number of people suffering from heat exhaustion to heat stroke at Fair Day.
A sold out end of festival recovery and cool down party took place after Fair Day at the Ocean Beach Surf Club Umina Beach as the sun went down.
Over 90 percent of attendees surveyed reported they would recommend the festival to friends and family, while up to 30 percent of visitors surveyed reported they had come to the coast for one night’s stay or longer across the festival.
The festival’s art exhibition saw the highest ongoing visitor traffic throughout the week with visitors and locals flocking into the Kibble Park local.
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