Left: The mock holdup of Puffing Billy was a highlight of the action packed Winterfest.By Tania Martin
AN OLDFASHIONED train robbery and a rescue demonstration drew crowds of people to the 12th annual Emerald Winterfest on Sunday.
The festival was a big success, with more than 10,000 people attending.
Crowds gathered to witness the rescue demonstration from a car, with local emergency services staging an accident scene.
The annual Puffing Bill holdup, a reenactment of an old train heist, was popular again this year with people vying for a front row seat.
Winterfest committee secretary Simon Wildes said this year’s Winterfest was the best he had seen in the last five years, with attendance numbers up by about 40 per cent.
There was something for every one at Winterfest, which featured more than 150 stalls of food, clothing and art displays.
Mr Wildes said the children also had a great time on the amusement rides and joined in on the pet parade.
An eclectic range of children’s pets were paraded through Emerald.
The pets included cows, ponies and ferrets, as well as household kittens and yapping puppies.
Winterfest president Gregg Smith said the entertainment provided by Emerald and Macclesfield primary school was “brilliant”.
He said this year was the first time that the students had performed at Winterfest.
“The kids were brilliant,” Mr Smith said.
“It brought a tear to your eye just watching the little prep grade students doing the Time Warp.”
He said it was also good to see the increase in local stallholders at the festival.
“Half to three quarters of the stallholders were local traders and we love our traders and want more each year to participate,” Mr Smith said.
