Australian Festival 2001 History 

The Australian Festival - History in the Making!

The 5th Annual Australian Festival, held in September, 2001, will always have special meaning in our Festival History. The Australian Festival was held 11 days after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. In many ways it was amazing that the Festival was held so close in time to the devastation that occurred in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. 

After the Sept 11th attacks, the Festival hung in the balance in terms of being canceled, but great community foresight by Jane Hardy, President of Friends of Elmington Park, and West End Outback Steakhouse Proprietor, Gerry Wetmore convinced Festival Chair & Board that the Festival would be a great opportunity to bring the community together to heal and celebrate all our cultures. 

At the end of the day, the Australian Festival attracted its largest crowd (up to 7,000 people in attendance over 2 days), obtained tremendous support from the Community and Australian Business, financially reached a level of success not previously achieved, and received compliments and praise by patrons, partners, and sponsors. 

The Fifth Australian Festival saw a coming together of Australian, American, South African, English, Indian, and many other nationalities that all rallied around each other. It was truly a time in which the Australian Festival found strength, identity and purpose.

* Note - pictured above is the late Garrison White who was tragically killed in a car accident outside of Malibu, California in 2003. Garrison made tremendous contributions to the Australian Festival in 1999 & 2001.

2001 Australian Festival Committee 

Peter Beare - Director, Shane Clohesy, Richard Butler

2001 Australian Festival Flyer