Shellharbour Council's Vivid-style light festival in the middle of the year has just been named one of the best in the country at the 2023 Australian Event Awards and Symposium.
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The Enchanted Forest saw around 66,000 people traipse through the technicolour setup at Blackbutt Forest Reserve in May and June - which far exceeded the council's expectations for attendance - and was awarded the Best Small Regional Event.
Running for nearly four weeks, the event was developed with Laservision to create vibrant installations, dazzling laser effects and holograms accompanied by an ethereal soundscape.
Mayor Chris Homer applauded staff involved in creating a "unique and unforgettable experience".
"Many attendees [travelled] from outside the Shellharbour local government area to enjoy the amazing light and laser installations and soundscapes," he said.
"The overwhelming success of The Enchanted Forest has truly helped put Shellharbour City on the map as an event destination."
The award is hoped to give weight to a revival of the lunar light journey in 2024, however, how it will look is still to be decided as the council said they were still "exploring opportunities" for the Enchanted Forest to return.
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