Community Arts Inc.

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2012 Festival will be
Sunday 28th October 2012

2012 Bush Dance
is on Sunday 22 April
in Stirk Park 5pm-7:30

Black Chooks Music Sessions
Continue Wednesday evenings

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2011 Festival Day panorama taken about 12:30pm
(click on image for a closer look)

2011 Festival review

2011 Zig Zag Festival

"Pirates in the Park"
Pirate-themed Festival

| 2011 Poster (click for a larger image)
Puppet Making (C) Gillian Berry Zig Zag Festival 2010-Oct-31

| Puppet Making in the Childrens area

2010 Festival Photos by Gillian Berry http://dragancaor.net and Peter James http://fotoboy.com.au

Excerpts from 2011 ZIG ZAG FESTIVAL REPORT
"Pirates in the Park"

The 2011 Kalamunda Zig Zag Festival was held on Sunday, 30 October. The Festival attracted a great crowd who all enjoyed the swashbuckling fun and all the variations of pirates and ships that were to be seen at beautiful Stirk Park in Kalamunda. It was a perfect weather, although we'd had rain for weeks before the Festival. The crowd at the main stage was larger than ever and the children's area was a big drawcard for youngies and oldies. There were more than 30 free kids activities and the organisers agreed it was the largest crowd of children and families ever seen at the Festival

There were great performances at each of the three main stages and some very entertaining wandering performers during the day.   The size of the craft area had been expanded considerably, there were over 50 craft, food and community stalls which made the whole area really busy and reportedly one of the most profitable days the vendors had ever experienced. This year the community really joined in with a number of schools and local groups either performing on stage or in the Festival Parade or mounting fund-raising stalls to benefit their schools or community groups.

The Festival in Stirk Park ran from 11:00am till 8:00pm, and the Street Parade in Haynes Street from 6 pm to 6:30. We estimate that this year there were up to 8,000 in the park throughout the day, and the Festival Parade was a really popular event with an audience of hundreds of supportive fans.

The park decorations brought to life the 'Pirates in the Park' theme - there were pirate flags, bunting, a huge 'beached' boat named 'Stirk Barque' and pirate themed activities all over the park. The children's area featured workshops in drumming, playing Junkadelic music and circus skills plus scores of activities such as wood working, hessian art fresh garlands, face painting and more.

This year we hired a huge shade sail to cover the audience at the Youth Stage Area and set up a number of free art activity stalls in the shade of the trees. This contributed to the Youth Stage Area being busier than usual as the young people enjoyed the great local bands and tried some hands-on creative arts.

The Arts and Craft Stall Area was absolutely packed this year. There were also more food stalls with a great variety of cusine, from sausages to South African meals. To support our community we provide a number of stalls to local not for profit groups and worthy charities every year, and this year there were more than 20 'Community Display Stalls' scattered among the local artists' commercial stalls. All of this healps encourage and create the great and joyful community spirit that everyone who comes to the the Zig Zag Festival appreciates.

The Festival Parade was organised by the Festival committee with the help of the local Soroptimists group. This year since our Festival was held on a three day weekend a number of local school children and groups were unable to come along. The final turn-up was not as large as some years, but the quality of the entries and excitement of the day and big crowds combined to make it a successful event.

And of course –the best parts of the day is the beginning of the Finale at the Zig Zag Sound Shell Stage. The area is always filled with a huge crowds welcoming all the parade participants as they enter the park and parade in front of the stage. This year the parade entries had the raucous accompaniment of a combined 'band' with the music of the Kalamunda Pipe Band, Rumskull and the Junkadelic Band. The last and most popular attraction was the Junkadelic Pirates in the Park Ship and all the little pirates that propelled it through Kalamunda.   This ship was built during a series of workshops (funded by the Department for Communities) led by the talented Ken Allen, one of our most successful home grown local artists.

The musical Finale of the Festival was provided by the huge Junkadelic Big Band joined by members of the Kalamunda Youth Swing Band and some of the crew from Rumskull. The three groups collaborated to put together a really energetic show featuring lots of pirate music and old favourites. .

the P.S. Stirk Barque
the Pirate Ship Stirk Barque
The Pirate Ship Stirk Barque on the side of the hill at Zig Zag Walk

Pictured above on the Gooseberry Hill Zig Zag during the Shire of Kalamunda Walk the Zig Zag event
Already too big for the parade
- maybe it's run aground in the park!

About Zig Zag Community Arts Inc.

We are a not for profit group run by volunteers to promote the arts and community action in the hills and foothills communities roughly within the Shire of Kalamunda. We are an incorporated group, (registered as deductable gift recipient for GST).

The Kalamunda Zig Zag Community Arts Festival began in the early 1980's as a local Shire initiative. During the first 10 years of its existence, responsibility gradually shifted to the community, until 1993 when the Festival Committee became a separate entity as a community-based non-profit incorporated group.

Between 1994 and 1998, the focus of the Festival Committee was on events and activities for the one-day festival. Since then, there has been an increased emphasis on events across the year, and on gaining input from youth. Zig Zag Community Arts has taken on a broad community development role with extended programs that involve many sectors of the community. These have included projects that extend throughout the year and other significant events. The change reflects the recognition of the value of the Festival and the Arts as tools for addressing social and community issues.

The committee consists entirely of volunteers. They are community members with a broad range of skills including community development, project management, music, teaching and youth work. Throughout the year project teams coordinate art and music workshops that involve both professionals and gifted amateurs.

The Aim of Zig Zag Community Arts is to involve the community in the appreciation of, and participation in community arts.

In 2012 the Famous Zig Zag Festival will be on Sunday 28th October - our annual celebration of community creativity and a showcase for the community's arts and cultural achievements.

The 2012 Annual General Meeting of Zig Zag Community Arts Inc.
was held at 7:30pm on Thursday 15 March 2012
at the Zig Zag Cultural Centre, Railway Road, Kalamunda.

Zig Zag Community Arts Inc.
ABN 31-717-398-345 (Registered for GST)

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Link to 2011 Festival Poster Page