Grass is Greener festival told to keep watch on foul language

POLICE will crack down on swear words at a popular dance music festival in October, ­according to internal Cairns Regional Council emails.
                                   

Melanie Selman and Gracie McArdle enjoy the music at The Grass is Greener Dance Festival Fogarty Park.
Correspondence to councillors from cultural services general manager Linda Kirchner stated the master of ceremonies at last year’s The Grass is Greener festival “clearly had inappropriate language usage for this site” and police would monitor language this time around.

The email, sent in May, also stated the number of punters allowed to attend the event at Fogarty Park was “a QFRS call”.

The statement seemed to fly in the face of Mayor Bob Manning’s recent statement to the Cairns Post that it was police who deemed the event could not expand from 5000 to 7000 attendees. But the council CEO John Andrejic explained that was not the case.

“QFRS was initially approached, and while they did not indicate any specific concerns relating to an increased crowd, they advised that, being an outdoor venue, police would be the determining authority,” he said.

Festival organisers earlier this week announced a venue change to the Cairns Showground.

Mr Andrejic said the former venue was close to the CBD and family-friendly areas so “appropriately, it is a condition of the use of Fogarty Park that language and general conduct is suitable for a family environment”.

Launched on Monday, the children's expression festival continues until June 2

Two novelties this year in the program of the children's expression festival: street performances and the regrouping of shows Schools in chorus at the Stables.
The festival of childish expression already filled the theater for two weeks, each spring. This year, he will also invest the Stables.

The ever-increasing success of the appointment with the schools led the Federation of Secular Associations (Fal) du Cantal to seek a second site to successfully program the shows proposed by some sixty schools and social centers. Especially since the bridge of the Ascension reduces the usual schedule of two days.

It is therefore in the Garden of the Carmelites that all the performances of Schools in chorus, the device that federates classes around the choral song for ten years, will be concentrated, starting from Monday. The theater, this week, entered this festival of arts which brings together more than a thousand students of Cantal around singing, dance, theater and performing arts. The performances will resume on Monday at the rhythm of the creations, starting with Danse à l'école, with the six schools, the two colleges and the lycée that have been accompanied all year round by professional companies. Far from being out of breath, the festival of childish expression should easily exceed the usual bar of 10,000 entries for its 27th edition. With some 60 schools registered, it should reach a level of participants never reached before. "The strength of this festival is to highlight child labor under professional conditions," analyzes Paul Dufour, head of the organization at Fal du Cantal. The actors are welcomed in a professional place, with professional technicians, and they are very sensitive.

The most beautiful festivals on Kings Day

We start with one of the pearls of the Kings Day festivals: The Life I Live. This festival is held in three different locations in The Hague and it is free. On Kings Day and Tonight you can see performances of Kraak & Taste, My Baby and CUT_ among others. In addition to music there is also a vinyl market and a fairground. Already in the mood? Check above the trailer, or look at the website.

Whether you come from the northernmost or southernmost tip of the Netherlands, it does not matter. There is also a Kingsland Festival in your area. At least five different locations in the country are the best Dutch DJs. Here you should think of Tiësto, Martin Garrix, Nicky Romero, Fedde Le Grand and more. These Dutch heroes, you almost forget, are just ordinary people and can not be present at any festival venue. The Groningse writer of this piece has outlined the Groningen lineup at random, but especially look at Kingsland Festival site to check the lineup, timetable and prices of all cities.

Oranjepop takes place in the Hunnerpark in Nijmegen. For € 7.50 you can watch all day performances by Navarone, Indian Askin and Faces On TV. In addition to the many shows and eateries, you can also enjoy a hammock or a sack. There is also no pre-sale of the festival, tickets can only be purchased at the entrance of the festival on the day itself. The aftermath of last year promises to be a lot of good for the coming edition! Already see the full program or block diagram? Then check the website!

With five different stages, Kralingse Bos Festival is one of the larger festivals on Kings Day. At the Rotterdam festival you will find mainly electronic and hip hop names. The lineup promises a lot of good: the program includes names like Fritz Kalkbrenner and The Youth of Today, but Vengaboys and Trafassi are also part of the party. Tickets are available for € 30, -. Knowing more? Then look at the website!

Festival dishes up foodie fun

When you’re digging into the boat-load of crabs on offer this weekend, spare a thought for fishmonger Brendon Watts.
                                             
                        

For 17 years, Mr Watts’ family business Wattsies Place has been supplying the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest.
The crustacean enthusiast said he would be extremely busy this year, with a record turnout expected when the festival opens on Saturday.
“We’re going to be working seven days straight in the lead-up with 3.30am starts and 5pm finishes,” he said.
“And that’s if everything goes to plan. There’ll be a lot of cleaning and getting them ready, so we really hope people savour them and not just smash them down.”
Mr Watts said conditions had not been ideal leading up to the weekend with imported stock needed to fill the large quota.
While the crab enthusiast said he would be avoiding the festivities because he “hates big crowds”, he said he loved knowing that people were enjoying the product. The entertainment is also expected to boost crowd numbers, with Australian music icons Thirsty Merc and Justice Crew headlining. There will also be more than 40 hours of free, live entertainment on the weekend including the popular Australian Army Band, Mandurah’s own Jonny Taylor, Moorditj Brothers and African Music Circles.
A range of food experiences are on offer with four ticketed events as well as market stalls, cooking demonstrations, licensed bar areas, water activities and a fireworks display.
A special cookbook, The Fish Trap, will be available to purchase at a custom-made booth for $20 with part proceeds donated to Mandurah Foodbank.
Mayor Vergone said the weekend was a celebration of local produce and flavours, in particular the popular blue manna crabs.

Sydney’s Tomato Festival returns in 2017

Whether they're reduced in a ragù, sliced and served with a ball of burrata, or in a sauce for pizza, tomatoes are at their peak right now, in late-summer. Celebrate this versatile vegetable at Sydney's two-day Tomato Festival, which returns for the fourth year to the Royal Botanic Gardens on 18-19 February, with a program filled with cooking demonstrations, talks, produce stalls and a communal banquet.
                             

While last year's theme was chilli-infused cooking, this year it's about pairing ruby ripe tomatoes with herbs. Learn how to make proper passata in Italian chef Luca Ciano's masterclass, find out Cornersmith's top tips and tricks for pickling, or pop by the produce market for tomato relishes, chutneys and more from local producers like Donna Does and Pepe Saya.

The jewel of the festival, however, will be the annual Longest Tomato Lunch, held across a 70-metre long communal table. Held on both the Saturday and Sunday, expect gazpacho, tomato-braised chicken with chilli and eggplant, as well as a slightly confusing coconut quinoa cream and salsa dessert.

Or, if your love for oxheart knows no bounds, the festival's debut Pomme D'Amour Lovers' Dinner on Friday 17 February is one to book. A candle-lit, three-course, tomato-driven meal will be served overlooking the harbour.

While entry to the festival is free, the Longest Tomato Lunch is $94 for two people, and the Lovers' Dinner begins at $185 for two, with additional romantic extras.

Childish Gambino, Violent Soho, The Avalanches light it up at Falls Festival

FALLS Festival celebrated its 24th year with a star-studded line-up — and it was spectacular.
         

Word on the ground was that Childish Gambino was the act to see, followed closely by Violent Soho and The Avalanches.

Client Liaison, comprised of Melbourne duo Harvey Miller and Monte Morgan, dutifully played into their blend of 80s dance pop with a Savage Garden vibe, with a rendition of I Want You. Miller, completed his image of swagger with a snow leopard print fur coat while playing latest single, Off White Limousine.

The back-to-back pairing of Grandmaster Flash and Hot Dub Time Machine provided a blast from the past, playing everything from 80s pub rock to Justin Bieber.

On day two, indie darling Gretta Rae crooned her way into the hearts of bleary-eyed punters on the Valley Stage. The talented 18-year-old coyly admitted Falls was her first festival and her banter with the crowd created an incredibly intimate experience. Unwind and Unexpected Feeling were her standout tracks.

Aussie rapper Illy entertained the crowd in the afternoon, while Golden Features got the party vibes started, warming the crowd up for dub and reggae legends, Fat Freddy’s Drop. With one of the longer sets of the festival, there wasn’t a single foot that wasn’t tapping to their heavy beats and the 15-minute jam of their first single Wandering Eye, was a highlight.

The New Year’s Eve, line-up was exhaustingly good, with Wollongong rockers Hockey Dad one of the standout acts. The Rubens and Jamie T. Pond entertained the crowd while they waited for Welsh rockers Catfish and the Bottlemen, who blew their fans away. The New Year was hailed in by The Avalanches, rocking tracks such as Frontier Psychiatrist, Frankie Sinatra and, following the understated New Year countdown, Since I Left You.

‘Winter’ is Winner in Macao Festival’s Glitzy Finale

The first edition of the International Film Festival & Awards Macao wrapped up with a snappy and well-drilled prize ceremony. The competition section was won by Argentinian film “The Winter” (aka “El Ivierno”) directed by Emiliano Torres.
           

The best director award went to Marco Martins for “Saint George” about an unemployed boxer. “Saint George” also claimed the best actor prize for Nuno Lopes.

The ceremony was held at the casino town’s cultural center Tuesday night. Notable film folk in attendance included Jon Chu, Gianni Nunnuri, Chin Han, John Penotti, Ludi Lin, the BFI’s Sandra Hebron and Ann Hui. Career achievement awards were accepted in person by top Chinese director Feng Xiaogang and producer-financier Yu Dong of Bona Film Group.

The competition section jury also included Shekhar Kapur, Giovanna Fulvi and Japanese actress Makiko Watanabe.

The festival was hatched with the idea of adding to the former Portuguese colony’s cultural activities and diversifying its appeal as a tourist destination.

While the sudden resignation of festival director Marco Mueller in October shook the organizers, the festival overcame that and delivered both a strong film lineup – jury president Kapur said “when you have a jury where everyone has a personal favorite that they champion you know you have a strong selection” – and an impressive industry section. It included a project market, conferences and a screening series.

British film, “Trespass Against Us” won both the jury prize and the prize for Lyndsey Marshal as best actress. The best screenplay award went to Amy Jump and Ben Wheatley for another British film “Free Fire.” The best technical contribution prize went to the sound design in tough Brazilian drama “Elon Doesn’t Believe in Death.”

One of the biggest cheers of the night was for the selection of Jennifer Yu as best newcomer for her performance in Macau director Tracy Choi’s “Sisterhood.” “The young actress delivered a difficult part, which is both dramatic and humorous at the same level, and kept us emotionally engaged in the story. For her very first feature film, this young actress showed incredible promise,” the jury said. “Sisterhood” also earned the audience prize.