Orange could host a new winter festival based around ice skating following the success achieved at Bathurst’s Winter Festival 2017.
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Brand Orange executive officer Rhonda Sear said she was impressed with the activities in Bathurst after seeing it first hand.
“I think Bathurst has done a really good job with it,” she said.
Ms Sear said Orange should not copy Bathurst but consider how to make a bigger and better festival.
“I think it is something that we should put on the table again, something that is unique and offer people a fun experience.”
Orange’s previous winter festival, Frostfest, was last held in 2013.
“It worked OK, but it didn’t set the world on fire.”
Ms Sear said it stopped after struggling to get local people out on chilly nights.
“It was challenging to entice people out of their warm, cosy homes,” she said.
Ms Sear said the biggest challenge was to find a venue in Orange that could accommodate a big ice rink, have festival stalls and be in the CBD.
“In a perfect world it would be amazing to turn Robertson Park into a winter wonderland.”
However, she said there was a risk to the grass from chemicals and equipment needed for the ice rink structure.
She said they had looked at a host of venues before without finding the perfect location.
“We looked at Towac Park, Northcourt and the Showgrounds, we looked at a number of places.”
Ms Sear said ice skating was central to a winter festival but Frostfest had also had a major art component and historical trails.
“The ice skating, being in the middle of winter, it’s certainly something you think about.
“In winter you need to be active.
“It needs to be appealing to the whole community.
“It potentially can be done,” she said.
Bathurst’s third annual festival ran over 16 days and attracted tens of thousands to the CBD.
More than 45,000 tickets were sold for the ice rink and two street party nights attracted 22,000 people.
Business owners said it had boosted trade at a traditionally quieter time.
Bathurst Business Chamber vice-president Steve Semmens said it had exceeded his expectations.
“I think the eateries and the pubs were the winners,” Mr Semmens said.
Orange had an indoor skating rink at the Showgrounds over the past few weeks.
Orange councillor Russell Turner asked last week’s council meeting whether the the event had been as popular at the showground as it was at the former Sam's Warehouse site in the Orange Homemaker Centre.
Community and cultural services director Scott Maunder told councillors the operators has initially asked for two weeks during the school holidays, before asking for a two-week extension.
"I can only assume it's meeting their requirements," he said.
Mr Maunder said it rained a lot last winter and with the Bathurst rink being outdoors people came to Orange to skate.
"Last year there was higher demand because it wasn't available and there were a lot of people travelling from adjoining cities, but it's still successful and busy," he said.