Travel: Winter Magic Festival, Katoomba (lots of photos)

After raining all night, the day dawned with another thick fog and we were in two minds whether to head off up the mountains to what looked like being a cold bleak day, but by the time we crossed the Nepean River we had left the fog in Sydney and the mountains were clear and sunny and a brisk 10 degrees C.

The Winter Magic Festival celebrates the winter solstice each year, in a true hippy pagan heaven.

There's more pictures from other festival goers at the Flickr Winter Magic Festival page

By the time we arrived the main street was packed, with the scent of patchouli in the air and the soft swish of lots of panne velvet.


Yes, all those little dots spreading up the hill of Katoomba Street are people, we joined the throng and shuffled our way along the street stalls.

Just reached the top of the street as the crowd parted and the parade started.
The lovely thing about this festival is the participation by who ever wants to dress up and join in - there were lots of families, old and young.
We were surprised to see some friends dressed up and in the parade, didn't get a photo and couldn't find them later in the crush.





there were stormtroopers



and a bear raising money to free captive bears in asia



there were lots of dragon fly motifs, because the Blue Mountains is home to the endangered Giant Dragonfly - petalura gigantea and the push is on to try and save it - (it's survived 190 million years, but good old mankind and his urban development is about to wipe it out)







don't know who this was, but guessing, being a solstice festival, he's probably the horned god


These young green frogs hopped all the way up Katoomba Street



while this little viking took the easy way on dad's shoulders



the socialists were all dressed up to plot John Howards' downfall



there were big mermaids:



and little mermaids:



there were little fairy princesses



and big fairy princesses



some had lots of panne velvet



and others just had a smidgeon



there were witches in black



and witches in purple



and witches with drums



this was a float in the parade - don't ask me to explain why an animal of indeterminate breed (wearing his pj's) is on a surfboard atop a two headed snail - I guess you had to be there when the planning committee met.





Lots of stilt walkers in the parade, and coming up behind this one you can make out the bright pink and green feathers belonging to....



...well, you tell me who!! "Her" feathers stretched right across the road and we all had to duck them as "she" passed. Would have loved a full on photo but it was impossible in the crowd.

It seemed everyone had their dog with them, most dressed for the day - there were big dogs



and little dogs



and some just hoping that mum will take them home soon, before their friends from puppy preschool see them in this getout



After the parade had passed, we again joined the shuffle to the Carrington Hotel area were we watched the most fantastic performance by tribal dancers and drummers , "Hands, Heart and Feet" from Blue Mountains Drum and Dance group











the girls danced for ages, individually and together, so much energy! then these three young boys took over



and then the guys in the group showed what they could do



we wandered up and down the street a couple more times, met people we knew, (what a small place Sydney is!) stopped for soup and chicken focaccio then watched the gypsy dancers



At the other end of town were folk dancers dancing to an irish sounding jig, having a great time but seeming subdued after the tribal dancers

As we watched them dance, I thought they had a sort of 'cult' look to them, then saw their food stall later and realised they were from the Peppercorn Creek Farm which sounds all warm and fuzzy but hasn't always had the best press

By late afternoon the main street looked like it had even more people in it than in the morning



We had shuffled up and down several times, bought a leather belt for him and a silver dragonfly necklet for me so decided that was enough for the day.

On the way back to the car we passed some of the old mountain houses that I drool over







and then a last stop at a lookout as the fog started to settle in the valley and off home