Falls Festival Arts - Marion Bay

This festival season we venture south to Marion Bay in a pristine white (not insured) hire car that will need some serious cleaning post-Falls. The site is an art installation itself, with lush surrounds and a picturesque view of Tassie's east coast. The Village (arts hub) is sandwiched between the two stages and easy to find. Peeking through the bamboo gates, one is reminded of a kaleidoscope as heavily costumed villagers busily prepare for the approaching Fiesta event. The vibe tonight is best personified by the enthusiastic vollies who are shaking it in the dust.

There is a visual signifier when the Fiesta is about to begin as a colourful congregation on top of the hill chants, “Get up, get up and get down”. A car decorated with balloons, streamers and flailing limbs leads the parade. Each year the Fiesta brings the arts village of Falls to the main stage. Tonight it's a double whammy NYE and the tenth anniversary of Marion Bay Falls, so the Fiesta's theme is, fittingly, a party complete with bubbles, horns and a pink Volkswagen adorned with a talking spongecake. Once the parade makes it to the stage, athletic performers leap out of a giant paper mache birthday cake accompanied by an instrumental version of House Of Fun. Punters arms are up in the air, a sure symbol that we love it. What a fine way to kick off the night's festivities.

The artists at Marion Bay aren't taking themselves too seriously and this is refreshing in a festival environment. They are bringing it back to basics with arts that focus on entertainment value for the punter. Whether it's comedy, slam poetry or swear-happy burlesque at 3am, The Village welcomes anyone who dares to venture in. So next time you're at Falls, check out the arts hub. Where else can you dance to James Brown for ten minutes in a shipping container, while a couple passionately makes out pretty much on top of you?