Thanks for a fabulous Disco Stampede!

With more than 25,000 visitors and guests making their way to our 12th annual festival it was a ChilOut all of us will never forget. Thank you for returning to Daylesford especially when there was so much uncertainty just days before. With the bushfire behind us, our quiet village erupted in a celebration unlike anything we've seen here. From every one at ChillOut and all of us who make our home in Hepburn Shire...thank you!

The best ChillOut. Ever.

This year's ChillOut was the undisputed 'best' in many ways. Perhaps most importantly because the festival helped bring an end to fears about travelling to Daylesford after the recent Muskvale bushfire. After receiving an 'all clear' from the CFA only two days before ChillOut a message was sent loud and clear across Victoria that Daylesford and Hepburn Springs were open for business and ready to celebrate.

And celebrate we did.

After a hugely successful 'Slowest Lunch' at the beautiful Sault restaurant on Friday raising $20,000 for Buddies for Wildlife and the Hepburn Wildlife Shelter in one afternoon, it was clear that the town was buzzing and ChillOut was off and running.  By the end of the weekend more than $25,000 was raised (more than twice our goal) to support our 2009 community appeal with funds going to assist Buddies for Wildlife, Hepburn Wildlife Shelter and the CFA.

Events on Friday night and all day Saturday unfolded with bigger turnouts than expected - even bigger than last year.   Apart from the number of people what was equally evident were the smiles.  The events of only a week before, for many, seemed a distant and faded memory. 

Sunday morning arrived with an estimated 5,000 people stampeding to Vincent St for the annual Street Parade.  Our biggest Parade crowd ever.  Young and old, straight and gay, families and singles, locals and tourists all mingled together and laughed together in this wonderful celebration of our diversity.  It was an experience to warm hearts.  The crowds then set upon Victoria Park and gate numbers surged delivering nearly 6,000 people to a full day of entertainment and festivities which included BABBA, Dolly Diamond and Luke Gallagher, The Topp Twins and our headliner, the wonderful King of Disco - and newly anointed 'King of the Bush' - Leo Sayer. 

What can we say now but thank you and please join us next year.  Thank you to each and every one of the more than 80 businesses and government departments, big and small, who put their hands up months ago and registered as Major Partners, Sponsors and Supporters. 

And, of course, our volunteers who are the absolute lifeblood of ChillOut.  Your commitment of time, care and energy, your smiles and your cheer all created the warmth that our visitors and guests love about ChillOut.  Simply put, ChillOut couldn't be ChillOut without you.  Thank you so very much. 

Finally, and most important, thank you to our visitors. If this was your first ChillOut, we hope you enjoyed it. Our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us, whether for just an event, the day or the full weekend. Thanks for your company.

Planning for ChillOut 2010 will get underway very soon. Please jot down the dates in your diary (5 - 8 March 2010) and set your sights on Daylesford. 

Photos from the weekend are still pouring in and we'll have our gallery updated shortly. If you have pictures that you'd like us to share simply forward them to us by email.  

Our Street Parade Winning Entry

We are delighted to announce our winning entry for this year's Street Parade!

Creswick locals 'Emerald' (Rodney Green) and 'Maxine' (Max Primmer) absolutely wowed audiences at the Parade and later during Carnival Day with their fabulous costumes.

Congratulations to Rodney and Max for sharing their magic with everyone at this year's ChillOut - winners of this year's $500 cash prize.