Crowd embraces change at Jaca

Sister Act used all their ‘Country Energy’ while performing for Jacaranda Thursday.

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Jacaranda Thursday

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BOLD changes to the layout and schedule of this year’s Jacaranda Thursday have paid dividends for festival organisers.

The Grafton community appeared to embrace the changes yesterday with reports of the biggest crowd numbers in years at the lunchtime Market Square activities.

It would be fair to say Prince Street owned the day and those who didn’t dress up were the ones looking the fool.

Businesses, whether based on Grafton’s main street or not, came out of the woodwork showing off their many and varied talents – all singing, all dancing, all acting in their own spaces before making their way to the Market Square for a premier performance in front of a large, receptive crowd.

Others in the street decked out their shops in their chosen themes, whether it be pirates or hippies (both popular choices), Flintstones, super heroes and villains or Halloween – the emphasis was fun.

And while Prince Street reported a healthy, but not stifling crowd because of the move of the markets, observers of the market area (in Fitzroy and King streets) said traders appeared to be as busy as ever and crowd numbers there were strong.

Several observers said they hadn’t seen Market Square so crowded in many years.

Festival manager Libby Pigg said she felt vindicated by the success of the day after copping some criticism from some members of the community about the changes.

“Without a doubt, I am satisfied – it has been the best day and it really makes my job worthwhile,” said Libby, who is in her second year as manager.

“I was worried at one stage – we put so much ownership back into the community and were relying on their support and relying on their participation.

“I’ve got goose bumps and I’m thrilled to see the whole community out in force.”

Aside from the confiscation of ‘thousands’ of water pistols and shaving cream cans, police said crowds were well behaved.