Published on Friday, 15 September 2017 at 12:00:00 AM
Onslow kicked up their heels and celebrated this year’s Passion of the Pilbara Festival with three days of great entertainment, activity and fun.
Shire President Kerry White said the festival is a celebration of the vibrant community and showcases the many opportunities and activities that Onslow has to offer.
“In addition to celebrating our strong community spirit, Passion of the Pilbara also shines a spotlight on the unique lifestyle experiences our town provides to both residents and visitors,” said Cr White. “Many thanks and appreciation goes to our festival partner Chevron Australia, whose funding and support have been vital in bringing this festival to fruition,” said Cr White.
Chevron’s Wheatstone Asset Manager Rob Dobrik said that Chevron Australia is proud to be the festival partner of Passion of the Pilbara.
“Bringing events and programs like this to town encourages participation and creates a sense of involvement among the Onslow community,” Mr Dobrik said.
Launching on Friday night at the Onslow Sports Club with the PDC POP Party the festival vibe was in full swing with MC Sean Choolburra, ‘Fingers’ Mitchell Cullen, The Merindas and Paraphernallia each putting on an amazing show.
Saturday morning saw the return of the popular culinary showcase in the community garden, with chef superstars Pete Manifis, Jesse Blake and 2017 Masterchef contestant Ben Bullock cooking up a variety of brunch delights. Budding home chefs also had the chance to fine tune their knowledge with a number of demonstrations and workshops in the BHP Culinary Zone.
Thalanyji Oval was again transformed into festival central, with plenty of stalls, activities, food and free rides. With some great prizes up for grabs, kids participated in the KHB Passport Challenge, as well as the Freestyle Now workshops, or were kept busy in the Kids Zone.
The main Chevron stage hosted a non-stop line-up of entertainment throughout the day with The Merindas, KC Smalltown, Fitzroy Express and Mikey Smith impressing the festival crowds.
On Saturday evening, the festival truly came alive as the very talented Adam Harvey and Becky Cole had the town singing and dancing the night away.
This year, introduced the Thevenard Island Open Day, and more than 85 people took the opportunity to experience the beautiful island at a special festival price. Tickets included return ferry, activities such as snorkeling, beach volleyball and paddle boarding as well as a BBQ lunch cooked by the POP celebrity chef’s - Pete Manifis, Ben Bullock and Jesse Blake. A magical day on an island, with plenty of fun and activities, all to the great tunes of musician Mikey Smith, was the perfect way to end the festival weekend.
The Shire of Ashburton would also like to thank our main festival sponsors, the Pilbara Development Commission, BHP and Pilbara Ports.
The support from industry and local businesses in Onslow has been exceptional, and we value their contribution to this year’s Passion of the Pilbara.
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