Community groups take over Coolum kite festival
Sat 05 June 2010
Erin Cannon, Bachelor of Communication
Sunshine Coast community groups may be playing a larger role in the Coolum Kite Festival in 2011, to ease the strain on organisers.
The Coolum Kite Festival is held every October at Coolum Beach, and is a major drawcard for tourism on the Sunshine Coast.
In 2009, it attracted an estimated 45,000 people from around the world.
On March 21, 2010, former festival President Gem Lewis, who stood down in February, announced the 2010 festival would not go ahead as an adequate replacement had not been found.
Coolum Kite Festival committee member Di Stevenson said the outgoing president, Gem Lewis, will be meeting with an unnamed proposed president in mid June.
Ms Stevenson said that currently the Coolum Kite Festival Committee is trying to hand some aspects of the festival over to community groups to ease the pressure it puts on organisers.
Ms Stevenson said Sunshine Coast regional councillor Vivien Griffin is helping facilitate the discussions with community groups and trying to pull them together to assist with the festival.
Ms Stevenson joined the Coolum Kite Festival Committee in 2002, and said it has grown significantly from around 5,000 attendees in her first year on the committee to the 45,000 who attended in 2009.
Ms Stevenson was unsure if the new committee were considering holding the festival bi-annually, but it was something the old committee had talked about.
“We’re just focussing on keeping it going,” Ms Stevenson said.
Ms Stevenson, who has owned The Caf Coolum for the past eight years, said the festival was a positive thing for Coolum and that hopefully it will run again in 2011.
“Fingers crossed,” Ms Stevenson said.
Without the thousands of people attending the festival this year, local businesses involved in the tourism and hospitality industries are likely to be affected.
Coolum Beach Caravan Park manager Gary Jennings has been co-managing the park for nine months, and attended the festival in 2009.
Mr Jennings said that the Coolum Kite Festival generates business and also provides the opportunity every year to showcase the Sunshine Coast area, especially Coolum.
“We would like the festival to keep going,” Mr Jennings said.
Mr Jennings said he was disappointed the festival was not going to be held this year, however he understood that there was a huge amount of work involved for ex-president Gem Lewis and the other committee members.
Mr Jennings said that it would be ideal to have the festival every year, but if it was too difficult then having it bi-annually would be an option.
“It’s better than not having it at all,” Mr Jennings said.
The festival, which runs over two days, was first introduced in 2000, and this year was supposed to mark the 10th anniversary of the event.
Over its nine year history, the festival has become increasingly popular, receiving an award in 2004 and 2005 for community events in the Maroochy Shire and the 2005 Directions Award at the Queensland Tourism Awards.
The Coolum Kite Festival draws an international audience, and in 2009 featured a number of attractions including kites, a kite surfing competition open to Australians, parachute jumps, live music and cultural arts.
Sunshine Coast resident Breanna Ransom, 22, attended the festival last year, and said it had a welcoming atmosphere and attracted all age groups.
“There was a lot going on, and a great variety of things to do but it was still a really relaxing and enjoyable day,” Ms Ransom said.
Ms Ransom said previous to the festival, she had never been to Coolum, but since then she has visited the area more often.
“There were so many people there, and it seemed like everyone was enjoying themselves, it’s amazing that a festival can attract thousands to a small coastal town,” Ms Ransom said.
“I think it’s one of the best festivals held on the Sunshine Coast.”
Ms Ransom said it was disappointing the festival was not happening this year, but that she hoped it will be held again in 2011.
“It would be a shame if it didn’t go ahead next year,” Ms Ransom said.
Image(s) designed by Erin Cannon