After a long weekend of activities, the Henry Lawson Festival of Arts has finished up for another year.
Henry Lawson Festival of Arts President Belinda Power said it was an amazingly fantastic event that she hopes everyone enjoyed as much as she did.
Ms Power said that she would like to thank her small committee of volunteers, the Council, The Council workers, community members and visitors for coming and supporting this year's festival.
The Festival kicked off last Wednesday with the return of the popular Poetry by the Fireside, with the official opening of the Art Competition and Helen Carpenter’s Photography Exhibition on Thursday. Friday we saw The Bioluminescence Project light up the Simpson Pavilion at the Showground.
The Festival officially opened on Saturday, with Poetry, Busking, Market and Food Stalls, entertainment and rides for the kids.
Latest Stories
At the official opening of the Henry Lawson Festival for this year, official guests Deidre and Terry Carroll spoke about the festival and the meaning it has for them.
Deidre said the festival pulls out all the stops each year to honour the town's most famous son, and to embrace not just tradition, but transformation.
"Now in it's 67th year, the festival is celebrating Lawson's legacy of storytelling, music, art and community pride.," she said.
Terry Carroll said from little things, big things grow, which is very true of the long running Henry Lawson Festival.
"The Henry Lawson Festival has become more than just a celebration, it's a cherished tradition that binds the community together. Each year, it showcases not only the remarkable works of Lawson, but also the talents of artists, performers and storytellers from across the nation," Terry said.
"The festival's transformation over the decades reflects Grenfell's ability to honour its heritage while embracing modern cultural expressions."
With guest speaker Karen Stuttle unable to attend, Ms Power read out her speech on her behalf, saying there is nowhere on earth, like Grenfell and if kindness had an epicentre, it would be in Grenfell.
Reading from Karen's speech, Ms Power said kindness is all around us and it is the single distinguishing feature of this town.
"The satirical poem, written by Henry Lawson in 1910, 'The World is Full of Kindness', cuts quickly into the truth of how simple, genuine, compassionate acts, every day, from ordinary people, is probably what makes all the difference," Ms Power said.
Many of the Festival's competition winners have been announced.
OPEN ART
Winner: Dallas Nyberg with "Woodrow”.
Highly Commended: Susan Hodge with “Iandra Castle in Spring”.
Highly Commended: Peter Arnold Larsen with “Memories Fade Legends Live On”.
ACQUISITIVE ART
Winner: Leanne Hodges with “View Towards Bumbaldry”.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD went to Katherine Charlton ‘Kookaburra’.
Short Story Competition
WINNER $1000: Karen Howie Casey with “Norman”
RUNNER UP $500 Vanessa Thompson with “An Attitude of Kindness”
Verse Competition:
WINNER $1000: David Stanley with “The Nurse and the Soldier".
RUNNER UP $500: Serena Moss with “Kindness, from a Safe Distance”.
Window Dressing
First Prize: Wild Child – Rochelle Cawthorne
Second Prize: Grenfell Red Cross – KB5 Fitness
Third prize: Christian Bookshop
Street Parade
First Prize: Grenfell Soccer Club
Second Prize: Landcare
Third prize: Grenfell Public School
More photos on Page 6 and Page 7.
