With heavy rains having made the grass area on the Old School Flat and along Black Beach unsuitable, Destination Kiama has made the decision to relocate its IGNITE Winter Festival.

The ice-skating rink, main stage and centre of the Festival have now been moved from Black Beach up to Blowhole Point.

“The ground on the Old School Flat is in no condition for people to walk on,” says Kiama’s Acting Tourism and Events Manager, Sally Bursell.

“We’ve moved the whole event up to Blowhole Point, with the ice-skating rink now being located on one of the tennis courts [between the Visitor Information Centre and the cabins], and a music garden, bar and some food stalls on the grassed area below Diggies Café and the Pilot’s Cottage Museum.

“The main stage will be positioned down closer to the Harbour, on the grass near the trailer overflow parking, facing up the hill towards the Pilot’s Cottage Museum.

Sally Bursell thinks the alternate venue will work really well

“This new area is very protected from the wind and will still provide an amazing vantage point for the fireworks. It’s a better spot and more intimate.

“We will have 20 of the Norfolk Island pines along Blowhole Point Road lit up, so you will see it all from a mile away!”

She encourages you to rug up, come outdoors and prepare to chill out at Ignite, Destination Kiama’s festival celebrating fire and ice with fireworks, entertainment, ice skating and good food.

While the main festival day is Saturday 4 June, Mayor Neil Reilly will officially open the ice-skating rink and turn on lights in the nearby Norfolk Pines on Friday 3 June at 5pm.

That night, Diggies Café will offer a special IGNITE feast with live music.

Olympic figure skater Kailani Craine will show how it is done

On the Saturday from midday, the family-friendly free event will include fireworks and light shows, live music, circus performers, a fire and rhythm show, Olympic figure skater Kailani Craine, Indigenous cultural performances from Gumaraa, Elsa and Friends on Ice, an Eat Street Market and a Festival Bar.

The ice-skating rink, which will be open for 10 days from 3 June, can hold up to 100 skaters and novice skaters can rent ‘penguins’ to help them remain upright.

The fireworks on the Saturday night will go off in the normal exclusion zone near the fishmarket and festival goers will be able to see them from anywhere around the harbour or up on Blowhole Point.

“Everywhere will be a good vantage point,” says Sally.

She suggests that event goers catch public transport to Kiama and walk from the train station.

“Otherwise look for car parking in town, or towards the Anglican Church around from Storm Bay or over at The Pavilion where there is lots of parking and it’s a nice walk to the Blowhole,” she says.

Parking on Blowhole Point itself is very limited.

IGNITE is sponsored by Harcourts Kiama and is the beneficiary of a grant of over $180,000 from the State Government’s Regional Event Acceleration Fund.

IGNITE Festival

Saturday June, noon-8.30pm. Blowhole Point.

Harbour lightshow and DJ at 5.45pm; fireworks at 7.40pm

Ice Skating Rink: Friday June 3 from 5pm-8pm, Saturday 12pm-8pm, then daily 10am-8pm. Ends 5pm Monday 13 June.

Tickets for 45 minutes: Adults $20, Concession $15, Child (under 12) $10, Penguin hire $5 Family (two adult/conc, two children): $50. Group discounts available.

Book at ignitekiama.com