Harvest Festival

The Docklands Harvest festival took off at Buluk Park on May 19, featuring bands, food trucks, lantern making, workshops and an effigy burn to celebrate the Winter solstice.

Harvest was the first program of the City of Melbourne’s Docklands winter activation plan, which will be followed by the Firelight Festival from June 30 to July 2 (see story on page 13).

On the Friday night (May 19) a crowd gathered to watch the burning of a human-shaped wooden sculpture, a highlight of the two-day winter festival.

Docklanders enjoyed Melbourne-based folk band trio the Velvet Archers’ remakes of popular songs and a variety of food on offer, from smoked barbecue to Greek doughnuts.

Saturday was a fun day out for families, with lantern making sessions, pickling workshops and demonstrations of turning apartment balconies to pocketsize gardens.

Local restaurants and boutiques Twirled Pasta Bar, Saluministi and Wawa Chocolatier presented pasta making, porchetta rolls demonstration and tea and chocolate pairing.

Australia’s funk trio Cookin’ On 3 Burners brought their hard-hitting deep funk, organ jazz and boogaloo to Docklands on Saturday.

More than 1000 people were estimated to have attended Docklands Harvest.