A SNEAK PEAK FROM FRIDAY NIGHT
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ZOOM IN ON THIS MAP TO SEE WHERE EVERYTHING IS LOCATED
White Night Ballarat is set to take over the city on Saturday, March 4, from 7pm until 7am. Featuring more than 45 works and performances over 12 hours, it is impossible to be everywhere at once.
With the help of Visit Ballarat and White Night Ballarat, here is our guide on how to make the most out of the night.
Highlights
Swing City
Held at the Mining Exchange, Swing City is a 12-hour dance marathon featuring almost every form of social dance to the swinging sounds of the 30s, 40s and 50s. Everyone, including the audience, is invited to join in regardless of experience.
Love This Way / Neon Angel Wings
Sturt Street median strip will be lit up with visual neon light installations by Melbourne-based artist Carla O’Brien. Take an Instagram pic with the iconic four-metre wide wings, just like singer Katy Perry.
Live Music Marathon
White Night is not just about the visual. A diverse line up of artists will take to the stage on Lydiard Street South over 12 hours. Genres include jazz, blues, rock, bluegrass and Celtic.
Performances include:
- Ballarat Ska Union (7.00pm – 7.50pm)
- Los Cojones (8.10pm – 9.00pm)
- Motor City Sounds (9.20pm – 10.20pm)
- Johnny Rooster (10.40pm – 11.40pm)
- Trillionayers (12.00am – 1.00am)
- The Paige Duggan Quintet (1.20am – 2.20am)
- Stella Savy Avek Frers (2.40am – 3.30am)
- Rhythm Arkadia (3.50am – 4.40am)
- The Drowsy Maggies (5.00am – 5.50am)
- Better Than the Wizards (6.10am – 7.00am)
Crate Expectations
A playful robotic sculpture made from vintage packing crates will roam the White Night precinct seeking out and responding to the audience with warped sound and sequenced lighting.
Wadawurrung Walking with Waa
Walk through time on Unicorn Lane. Aunty Marlene and her daughter Deanne Gilson’s projected paintings tell the stories of Aboriginal people on the goldfields and Dreamtime myths.
Kid-friendly activities
If you have little ones, there is still plenty to see and do.
Projection works
White Night’s iconic projections will transform seven buildings in the heart of the CBD, creating a world of light and colour.
The White Knight Messenger
Kids will be looking up in awe as a 5.5-metre high interactive archangel roams the streets. The piece combines puppetry with led lights, music and projection. It walks, it talks… it even flies.
Point to the possum
In a Where’s Wally-styled game for the young and young at heart, there are 40 fluffy, glowing, red-eyed possums hidden in the trees on Sturt Street.
Lux Populi
An interactive motion-sensitive screen in Police Lane invites passers-by to paint the wall with light using nothing more than their hand and body movements.
Location
The event will take over the heart of the city, focusing on Lydiard Street (between Ballarat Station in the north and Dana Street in the south) and Sturt Street (between Armstrong and Albert Streets).
Survival Kit
If you’re planning on exploring the city for a few hours or all night make sure you bring:
A charged camera and phone
Taking photos and video may drain your battery so make sure your phone is charged. White Night Ballarat will also have up-to-date information on social media.
Warm clothes and comfortable shoes
The early hours of an autumn morning in Ballarat can be pretty cold. Rug up with a warm jacket, beanie and scarf, and make sure you have comfortable walking shoes.
Food and a water bottle
A survival kit is nothing without high protein, carb-loaded snacks to keep you fuelled. Think nuts, crackers, cheese, and a piece of fruit or two. You also need to keep hydrated.
First aid kit
Don’t let blisters or a throbbing headache ruin your night. Pack some Panadol and Band-Aids just in case – and anything else you may need.
Money
Some of Ballarat’s eateries will stay open throughout the night, while others will open for breakfast.
Top late-night eats
Visit Ballarat has offered its picks of the eateries that will remain open throughout the night. Make sure you book in advance.
Nineteen09 at the Provincial
In the centre of all the action, the heritage listed restaurant and bar is a great option if you want to turn White Night into date night. Location is 121 Lydiard Street North.
The Forge
If it is a family feed you’re after, The Forge will be serving up its wood-fired pizzas until 7am. Location is 14 Armstrong Street.
Mitchell Harris Wines
For some top drops and gourmet eats, look no further than Mitchell Harris Wines. The wine bar will be trading until 3am. Location is 38 Doveton Street North.
Kittelty’s at the Gallery
If you’ve decided to explore all night, chances are caffeine will be your friend. Grab a coffee at Kittelty’s until 7am. Location is 40 Lydiard Street North.
Grill’d
In the middle of the night, sometimes the only thing to hit the spot is a burger and side of fries. Grill’d will remain open until 4am. Location is 35 Sturt Street.
Eat and drink
The following restaurants and cafes will remain open, but hours may vary.
- The Provincial Ballarat
- The Forge Pizzeria
- Hop Temple
- Bluestone
- Free Time Restaurant
- The Faux Social Club
- Grill'd Ballarat
- Il Piccolo Gelato
- Irish Murphy's
- Schnitz
- The Unicorn Ballarat
- Europa Café
- P. Frangos & Sons
- The George Hotel
- Alexandria Tea Rooms
- The Long Room, Her Majesty's
- Ballarista Café
- Craig's Royal Hotel
- Gravyspot Ballarat
- Mitchell Harris Wines
- Kittelty's at the Gallery
- Regent Theatre
- Da Vinci's Restaurant
- The Sporting Globe
Ballarat White Night in pictures
Getting there
White Night is likely to attract large crowds, so spend some time thinking about how you will get to and move around the precinct.
Public transport
Parking will be scarce so your best option will be to leave the car at home and catch public transport.
Buses in Ballarat will run to their normal timetable until 8pm. From 8pm PTV is running five White Night bus routes all night until 8am. These routes run to the bus hubs at Armstrong Street South, Curtis Street (drop off only) and Little Bridge Street (pick up only). No buses will pick up or drop off from Ballarat Station.
There will be two Park and Rides in Ballarat where you can park your car then catch an express bus to the Armstrong Street Bus Hub. These will be situated at Stockland Wendouree Shopping Centre and Federation University Mount Helen Campus.
Additional V/Line coaches from Southern Cross Station, will stop all stations to Ballarat from 5pm to 2am and return all night.
Coaches from Ararat and Maryborough run to Ballarat from 5pm to 1am and return all night. Return coaches will depart from the Ballarat Station Carpark.
Road Closures
Map of the road closures below. Red is for no vehicle access and blue is for local access only.
Additional information
White Night incorporates five different program categories, which are music, performance, projection/film, installation/visual art and exhibition.
For a full list of the program of events visit whitenightballarat.com.au.
Majority of the event is free. Venues that are hosting ticketed events are marked on the online program listings along with booking details.
White Night Ballarat is an alcohol-free event.
Information will be available on the night within the White Night precinct, while staff will also be on hand to assist with queries.
Highlights from Melbourne
Check out our other stories on White Night
- Conversations through art
- Lights, camera, action for Ballarat CBD
- Strong police presence for town’s night out
- Young artists will be on show for White Night
- Marathon stage offers music all night long
- Old charm lights up night
- A night for celebration
- White Night to feature fabulous neon art in Ballarat
- Arts’ poetry in motion
- Mechanics' Institute to hit the groove for White Night
- Giant puppet to bring messages of peace
- White Night to come to Ballarat