Let there be Firelight!

The second annual Firelight Festival erupted successfully in Docklands at the end of June.

The footprint was bigger, the surging crowds were larger and the weather was perfectly cold over June 29, June 30 and July 1.

Pitched perfectly at families (starting and finishing early) the vibe suggested that Docklands has now found an event that can be sustained and grown in the future.

The festival expanded to include Harbour Esplanade and Victoria Harbour Promenade, but NewQuay still offered the best ambiance.

The Victoria Harbour side was darker, colder and far less inviting with many harbourside businesses ignoring the opportunity and choosing to remain closed.

In contrast, Berth and Cargo owners turned their patch into a mini-festival in its own right, investing heavily in infrastructure and putting on an extra 30 staff each night.

Proprietor John Scardamaglia said he sold about 30 per cent more paella through a pop-up food stall than in 2017.

“It was a ripper weekend,” Mr Scardamaglia said. “We had lines at the paella stand on all three nights.”

“The whole event was executed really well and the city should be congratulated.”

“For us, it ticked all the boxes. It has a great family feel, so they were definitely pitching to the right demographic.”

He said the introduction of a DJ also set an interactive tone, with people more inclined to break into spontaneous dancing.

He said the restaurants themselves were quiet, which he interpreted as people wanting to participate in the festival itself.

Docklands Chamber of Commerce president, Joh Maxwell, said: “The festival warmed up further each night and the flame shows every 15 minutes were magnificent.”

“The traders who didn’t participate let themselves down because they had every opportunity to participate.”