Helping you make the most of Geelong After Dark

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Tonight’s the night! After many months of planning and creating, Geelong After Dark arrives tonight to transform Central Geelong.

Artists are finessing and tweaking, venues are ready and activities are being set up in preparation for The Big Reveal.

With more than 70 arts activities taking place inside venues and outside in the streets and laneways, parks and public spaces, Central Geelong is set to come alive.

Here’s a few tips to make sure you get the best out of your night.

1. Dress for the cooler conditions to fully enjoy all the activities indoors and out.  Layers are always a good idea.
2. Plan your parking (or find a friend and share the ride). There are more than 4700 off street car parks and 5400 on street car parks in Central Geelong. On street car parking in central Geelong is free after 5.30pm. The Civic Centre Carpark opposite City Hall is free after 6pm and open until 1.30am. Parking is also available at Market Square and Westfield shopping centres, however hourly rates apply and don’t forget to keep an eye on closing times.
3. Pick up your paper program from the official Geelong After Dark Info Point on the corner of Little Malop and James Sts, participating venues or our plan your visit to by selecting your zone (there are 3 zones this year) or better still, just rock up and go with the flow!
4. Keep the kids interested with The Amazing Arts Adventure. Collect your card from Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Geelong Library, Geelong Gallery, Courthouse Youth Arts, Market Square, Westfield or the National Wool Museum. There are great prizes to win!
5. Enjoy a bite or a beverage at one of the city’s many eateries. Little Malop St has a great selection of bars, cafes and restaurants - but don’t linger too long or you might miss something.
6. Stay for the Gathering of the City in Johnstone Park at 9.30pm. Welcome Canoe and the Mountain to Mouth walkers in to the park for some much needed nourishment and to celebrate the end of the first day. Warning: there will be smoke and fire.
7. Be a social butterfly! Take photos and share your experience by using the hashtag #instagad2018. Look out for your photos on the big screen in Police Lane, between GPAC and Back to Back Theatre.
8. Stick around for After After Dark. When the little kids go home, it’s time for the big kids to play. Head to Little Malop St (between Gheringhap and Moorabool streets) to join in the action.

Can’t wait to meet you after dark!

Celebrate Mountain to Mouth at After Dark

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Photographer: Brien Cohn

Coming in to the city on Friday night? Don’t miss your chance to be part of spectacular ceremony as Mountain to Mouth (M~M) collides with Geelong After Dark.

M~M is the multi-award winning biennial extreme arts walk, an 80 km journey of discovery. 

In the tradition of the Wadawurrung, M~M creates a contemporary songline across the Geelong and Queenscliffe regions.

The journey begins in the Young Yangs mountain range on Friday morning and crosses Geelong’s industrial heartland at nightfall, arriving in the city centre around 9.30pm for the Gathering of the City during Geelong After Dark.

Soak up the festive atmosphere as a lantern-lit procession makes its way along the waterfront to Johnstone Park where choirs and dancers will welcome the ephemeral Canoe sculpture and walkers.

The festivities begin with a smoking ceremony then participants will follow a “Procession of the Earth”. Geelong After Dark participants are invited to join in the procession.

There will be a massed choir led by Jonathon Welch AM (founder of the Choir of Hard Knocks), along with didgeridoo, dancing plus a few other spectacular surprises (we don’t want to give away everything!)

The Gathering of the City is the second of three important M~M ceremonies and is designed to nourish the participants at the end of day one of the two-day pilgrimage.

So get ready to join in the celebrations and sing your heart out to inspire the walkers for the rest of their journey.

This year’s theme for both M~M and Geelong After Dark is ‘Earth’, honouring our many connections to earth and each other.

For Geelong After Dark artists this has inspired many creative responses and interpretations, from earth-themed projections and installations to creations made from recycled and re-purposed items. Many of earth’s creatures and sounds will also come to life in performances, sculptures and stories.

Come along from 6pm and see the city in a whole new light!

Mountain to Mouth brings songs and stars to Geelong After Dark

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Three unsigned artists teamed up with three experienced music industry mentors to write a song about a place in the Geelong region: that’s the premise of Connecting Song, a City of Greater Geelong initiative to support up and coming songwriters.

Jeff Harwood, Tex Miller and Shaun Fogarty were selected from a pool of Geelong’s hottest new talent to work with music industry heroes Adalita (of Magic Dirt fame), blues and roots musician Tim Neal and hip hop artist Trem One.

After months of solid songwriting, recording, mixing and creating videos, their work will debut in the secret garden next to Beav’s Bar at Geelong After Dark on Friday 5 May.

Connecting Song is one of two festival contributions from the City’s Mountain to Mouth (M~M) project, aimed at building on the concept of a contemporary song line.

Another highlight will be M~M’s Constellation - River of Words, a stunning installation at City Hall by Matt Bonner and Esther Oakes. Constellation will transform City Hall into an enchanting riverscape of possibility.  Viewers will enter through a pathway of illuminated books to find a flowing river of words, bringing the City’s Our Future – 30 Year Vision to life.

Geelong After Dark will illuminate central Geelong from 6-10pm with edgy art, interactive performances, spoken word, projections, illuminations, live music, soundscapes and exhibitions.

Up to 20,000 residents and visitors are expected to discover (or re-discover) the city in a whole new light, with 370 artists participating and more than 80 short, sharp, edgy art activities to experience.

Geelong After Dark is a free, family-friendly event, with children encouraged to join in The Amazing Arts Adventure, an interactive journey of discovery through central Geelong. 

This multi-award winning annual festival is organised by the City of Greater Geelong with creative production by Diversitat.

For program updates visit geelongafterdark.com.au