The 2006 Australian Festival (and associated events) was held between the 12th and the 17th September 2006. The Festival consisted of the following participants from Australia and from around the United States: 

* 24 Official Sponsors... 
* 15 Aussie Musical Acts (50 artists & 50 hours of music)...
* 20 Aussie Exhibitors & Market Place Displays... 
* 10 Industry Expert Speakers and Presenters...
* 125 Sports Down Under participants representing 10 clubs... 
* 200 G'Day Mates school children participants from 4 schools...
* 75 Australian Festival volunteers and staff operating over the 3 days... 

These incredible groups and individuals came together to promote the land down under to the city of Nashville by featuring culture, music, art, animals, business, travel, sports, education, recreation, and general family entertainment. The Australian Festival estimated attendance for all 3 days was 7,500 which was made up of the following details: 

* Sunday September 17, 2006 - 1500 - estimated...
* Saturday September 16, 2006 - 5000 - estimated...
* Friday September 15, 2006 - 1000 - estimated...
* Due to festival fencing issues our attendance has been estimated versus gate receipts* 

The Australian Festival would like to recognize our key sponsors in 2006 - The Australian Embassy, Hardy Wines of Australia, Fox 17, Lightning 100, The 2007 Australian Open, Southern Cross Travel & Tours, Down Under Answers, Qantas Airlines, Party Place & BeareWare.. We were thrilled to have your support at our event. We also make special note of thanks to the involvement of the Australian Embassy with Careers Down Under, Study In Australia, G'Day Mates Program and the Australian Festival in general. We are also extremely grateful for the Embassy's involvement over the past two years not only supporting our event but the overall development of Australian - American relations in Tennessee.

2006 Australian Festival Committee

Peter Beare - Founder & Festival Director, Dean Shortland - Managing Director & Media Personality, Pru Clearwater - Music Director, Tom Mason - Production Manager, Rich Butler - Stage Manager,  Susan Collier - Publicity, Barb Foster - Travel, Vicki Payne - Web & Design 

Our official 2006 Australian Festival Poster can be seen here - Click Here

Summary of each event:

12th September 2006: Aussies in the Round (The Bluebird)

To a packed house, The Bushwackers, Neil Murray, James Blundell and a host of other Aussie performers played to a captive audience. With a packed house, it was difficult to move, but there were smiles all around as we shared some of the tremendous talent Australia has to offer. This was a fantastic launch to the Festival this year. 

13th September 2006: The Australian Film Festival (The Belcourt Theatre) 

Featured two renowned Australian films - The Dish" and "Priscilla - Queen of the Desert" with two Aussie film shorts at the historical Belcourt Theatre in Hillsboro Village. With approximately 80 patrons present for the evening, guests enjoyed fine food and wine courtesy of The Australian Festival and Hardy's Wine, as well as art from Aboriginal Artist Joanne Reid and a presentation from Peter Croft from Parkes, NSW on the history of "The Dish". This was a good night for all. 

14th September 2006: The Gum Tree Gala (The Australian Pavilion - Centennial Park) 

Probably on of the biggest highlights for patrons so far - The Gum Tree Gala hosted 150 guests under a huge tent in the middle of Centennial Park. With perfect September weather and an amazing night sky, patrons were treated to a vast buffet and fine wine courtesy of The Australian Festival and Hardy's Wine. Performances by Neil Murray and the Bushwackers had patrons dancing the night away. This event was a roaring success. 

15th - 17th September 2006 - The 10th Annual Australian Festival (Centennial Park) : 

Day 1 - Friday September 15, 2006

We started off the morning with our G'day Mates Schools Program in which kids from 4 schools across Nashville were treated to music, education, art and sport. This was a hit, with a number of kids bringing their families back to the Festival over the weekend. Paul Killingly taught them about Australian culture and folk history - with a few songs, Joanne Reid shared Aboriginal art and culture with them, Tom Melville taught them how to play Cricket and Chelsea Martin gave them a lesson on Australia. 

Our gates opened at 3pm and we saw approximately 1000 people come through the festival gates between the hours of 3pm and 10pm. Enjoying entertainment on the Tuckerbox Stage and in The Australian Pavilion. Australian Rules Football, Cricket and Rugby was all the while battling it out on Exhibition Field. Festival patrons enjoyed fine Australian food including Meat Pies, Souvlaki's, Ice Cream and various other fare and shopped for a vast array of products including Vegemite, Boomerangs, Didgereedoos, Akubra Hats and of course Tim Tams. Another key highlight was indigenous performances by Lewis Burns and IndigDance. The music of the night was headlined by James Blundell and was supported by 5 other Aussie music acts. 

Day 2 - Saturday September 16, 2006

Our super Saturday! This was a bumper day with record attendance for the Festival. Approximately 5500 patrons during the course of the day. The weather was perfect and momentum in the park built from about 10:30am and just kept growing. Added to the hits of the previous day, we also had LIVE sheep herding by a DOG, not a man... this was bought to us by Kentucky Down Under. They also bought "Dobbin", a baby Red Kangaroo to share with patrons. Needless to say, Aussie animals at the festival were a hit once again!

Not far from the Tuckerbox Stage, kids enjoyed inflatable castles and rockclimbing walls, whilst Paul Killingly wandered around entertaining the masses with his ever unique Aussie banter. There were also appearances by Kenneth & Katie the Kangaroos, which had the kids jumping with excitement...As the middle of the day approached and the sun kept shining, some of our patrons made their way down to Jackaroo's Pub to enjoy fine Australian wine and beers and kicked back to the sounds of Luke O'Shea, Stephen Rowe and Paul Killingly. Evening approached and the crowds transferred their energy to the heavily anticipated night of music headlined by front-man and principle songwriter for the smash group Men At Work, Colin Hay - as well as Lewis Burns, Kylie Harris, Neil Murray and Pru Clearwater. 

By 6:30pm, the Jackaroos Pub was well packed with patrons, listening to music and enjoying a drink... then by 8:45 when Colin Hay walked on stage, the crowds were ripping up a frenzy - with a lively  amphitheatre and pub, Colin wowed the crowd with world famous songs including - "I come from the Land Down Under", "Overkill" and "Who Can It Be Now"... Approximately 500 people enjoyed the evening and we watched countless patrons walking away smiling and commending us on an amazing night. 

Day 3 - Sunday September 17, 2006

After an amazing Saturday with record attendance, we still had strong numbers on the Sunday... with approximately 1500 patrons attending the day festivities... with a consistent schedule much like the Saturday - we brought some new features into the mix... A memorial service for Steve Irwin was held around midday, with tributes given by Chelsea Martin from the Australian Embassy in Washington and also Festival Director - Dean Shortland... There was a large gathering that came to pay homage to this great man, and we concluded with a moment of silence. 

The anticipated give away came about at 5:30pm, in which we gave away a trip for 2 to Australia, to attend the men's finals of the Australia Open Tennis Grand Slam... with the help of Roger Corbett from The Bushwackers, Southern Cross Travel and Down Under Answers.... and a little help from the anticipation of a packed Australian Pavilion tent... Grant White won the trip! Needless to say, he was thrilled. We also gave away a $2,500 Opal courtesy of Gondwanaland Opals, to our runner up prize winner, Melissa McGuire...  (winner Grant White celebrates on stage!)

So concluded the festivities of the 2006 Australian Festival, in Centennial Park, Nashville. An event we were all very proud of, an event that left thousands of patrons with a dose of Australia, new Aussie friends and most importantly a smile on their faces. Thanks again to all our great sponsors, vendors, participants and patrons for making our 10th Anniversary so special!-