Throwback: coverage by the Gippsland Times of the inaugural Maffra Christmas Festival on Friday December 18, 2015.
MAFFRA was alive with the Christmas spirit on Friday night.
The inaugural Maffra Christmas Festival was a huge hit, with about 1500 people making their way through Maffra’s main street.
A fireplace was set up along with antique chairs for children to have their photos taken with Mr and Mrs Claus.
A crowd of about 300 people watched a belly dancer perform while the market stalls were packed with people buying last minute Christmas presents.
Maffra Business and Tourism Association president Marcus Stobie said the night was a glowing success.
Mr Stobie said the highlight for him was the festival atmosphere of the night, with a mix of stalls, musical entertainment, great performers and delicious local food and drinks.
“There was a real family vibe to it which made it a great night,” he said.
“Giant Santa was an absolute hit.
“From one end of the street you could see him moving through the crowd, it was great.”
People came from across the region to check out the market stalls, see the 10-foot tall Santa and celebrate the festive season.
Mr Stobie said the association was thrilled with how the night went, with plans to make it an annual event.
Gippsland Times coverage of the 2016 Maffra Christmas Festival.
THOUSANDS attended the second annual Maffra Christmas Festival on a balmy Friday night.
Maffra retailers lined Johnson St, with plenty of bargains and gift ideas on offer, as well as food and wine from across the district.
The night, organised by Maffra Business and Tourism Association, featured Mr and Mrs Claus arriving in a vintage fire truck, and stilt walkers wandering through the crowd.
Association president Marcus Stobie said the night was even busier than last year.
“So much work goes into these events,” he said.
“There were more people, and more involvement from community groups.
“The initial feedback from the community was that it was a huge success.”
