By Casey Neill
Below: Festival-goers can check out rides, craft, music and more. 27135 Pictures: Casey Neill
NEXT weekend’s Knox Festival celebrations are sure to get people moving.
‘Reinventing the Wheel’ is the theme for the 31st annual celebration.
The festival’s focus will be on Knox’s bike tracks and sustainable travel, with all the usual art, craft, rides and entertainment.
The ‘Oppy Bike Ride’ will feature this year. The free event commemorates Australian cycling great Sir Hubert Opperman.
The 14.5km main circuit will run through Ferntree Gully, Upper Ferntree Gully and Wantirna South.
A two kilometre circuit will start at the Knox Regional Netball Centre and end at the Knox Festival site.
Families can bring a rug and picnic dinner and watch the movie ‘Bolt’ on the big screen at Ferntree Gully Recreation Reserve at dusk on Friday 27 February.
Knox Fire Brigades Group will hold its torchlight march from Ferntree Gully Fire Station to Ferntree Gully Recreation Reserve from 8.30pm on Saturday 28 February.
A spectacular fireworks display will light up the skies from 9.15pm to 9.30pm Saturday.
Festival-goers can test their skills in free ‘Guitar Hero’ championship and ‘Street Fighter 4’ tournaments.
Knox Community Arts Centre will launch its 2009 theatre season in the Knox Arts Centre in the Move Performing Arts Tent.
The tent will house performances from ‘Weddings, Parties, Anything’s Mick Thomas, ‘Kazband’, ‘String Fever’, ‘Die Roten Punkte’ and ‘the baBiBi’s.
Crowds can also check out harmonica and flamenco dance workshops.
The Knox Festival is on at Ferntree Gully Recreation Reserve, Brenock Park Drive Ferntree Gully, from 10am to 10pm Saturday 28 February and 10am to 4pm Sunday.
Parking is available for a gold coin donation at St Joseph’s College in Brenock Park Drive.
A free wheelchair-accessible festival bus will run from Ferntree Gully Railway Station to the festival every 20 minutes between 11am and 4pm.
