Friday, January 17, 2014

A 'taste' of the Festival at local restaurants

Patrons of select restaurants on the Bellarine Peninsula can have a 'taste' of the Festival of Glass with their meal!

So far, there are three restaurants to choose from: Harvester Moon, Leura Park and Jack Rabbit, each one a local business partner of the Festival of Glass. They join SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre as hosts of small exhibitions of items from the Festival's Glass Expo.

On February 15, Harvester Moon restaurant and the Festival of Glass present an evening of bottle neck guitar music - featuring Mr. Black and Blue - and an auction of glass collectibles. This event is in its second year as the lead-in to the Festival Expo and looks set to become a tradition! Harvester Moon patrons can get a taste of the Festival before then, because the restaurant is hosting a small exhibition of some striking items from exhibitors at the Festival's Glass Expo.
Harvester Moon: 2320 Portarlington Road, Vic. 3221. http://www.harvestermoon.com.au

Leura Park Estate is a favourite destination for locals and visitors, attracted by its fine wines, informal lunches and more formal dinners, as well as by special events like its forthcoming presentation on February 14, 'Shakespeare in the Vines - A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Leura Park patrons can get a taste of the Festival via the glass cube in the restaurant, featuring some of the more delicate items to be displayed at the Festival's Glass Expo.
Leura Park Estate: 1400 Portarlington Road, Vic. 3222. http://www.leuraparkestate.com.au

The Jack Rabbit winery and restaurant has been extensively renovated and upgraded into a very classy venue for all things gastronomic and scenic, with gourmet food, wines and spectacular views over Corio Bay to the Young Yangs. Jack Rabbit patrons can also feast on the view of some glass jewellery and platters from exhibitors at the Festival's Glass Expo, on display at the restaurant.
Jack Rabbit: 85 McAdams Road, Vic. 3222. http://www.jackrabbitvineyard.com.au 

The Festival of Glass is grateful to these local business partners and is pleased to promote them in return. Thanks, folks!

A fourth 'taster' of the Festival is at the SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre in Drysdale High Street. SpringDale has supported the Festival in various ways since its inception and the February edition of its monthly magazine - 'SpringDale Messenger' - will, we're told, feature the Festival on its front cover. So thanks once again for the continuing support, folks.
SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre. 17-21 High St, Drysdale Vic. 3222. http://springdale.org.au/


(The Festival of Glass Expo is on Sunday February 16 10.00 am - 4.00 pm. at Christian College, 40 Collins Road, Drysdale 3222.)


Extraordinary musical instruments!

The 2014 Festival of Glass will offer a glimpse of the extraordinary work of Canadian instrument-maker Nicola Mainville.
'Dragon song' xylophone


Nicola deploys his skills and imagination to create exquisite, hand-crafted musical instruments made of wood and glass. They include glass xylophones inspired by (and tuned to) the Javanese/Balinese gamelan, glass drums inspired by drums of Mali and Senegal and glass didgeridoos inspired by the wooden didgeridoos of Northern Australia's Aborigines. 

A short video showing a selection of Nicola's glass musical instruments will be part of 'Glass on Film', a selection of short films about glass that is a new feature of the Festival. 'Glass on Film' exploits the features of the 200-seat auditorium at the Festival's new, cool venue - Christan College, in central Drysdale.

Nicola's web site has photos of his instruments, several of which have sound clips:
http://www.nicolamainville.com/index_eng.html