The Fairfax Festival is a Festival of theatre for regional secondary schools held annually in memory of George Fairfax and has been happening for over 10 years in Victoria’s far north. It involves students and teachers from regional Victoria creating original theatre works for performance at a Gala Night in Swan Hill at the end of October.

This year, the event will coincide with the Go North Arts Festival and is set to be an occasion not to be missed!

The Festival is a time for students to come together and show each other the creativity they are capable of achieving. It’s also an opportunity for the students to see how their peers go about making theatre; what ideas and skills they have; and to share these things with each other in a way that is just as exciting for the audience as it is for the participants.

The Fairfax Festival is a rare opportunity for kids in Victoria to unleash their imaginations in an exciting and rewarding way!

Fairfax Festival Manager, Glen Christie says

“This year’s Fairfax Festival promises to be very exciting with over 100 students converging on Swan Hill in October, to participate. We’re very excited by the range of tutor’s we have involved – including Fairfax favourite, Don Bridges, who will be heading out on the road in the coming months, to visit the students and offer advice and assistance. We’re already working on plans for 2011 – the Fairfax Festival’s 15th Anniversary – and hope to make some big announcements at the Gala Performance, on October 28th.”

October may seem like a long way away still, but all you arty types listen up - Fairfax Festival are looking for a creative whiz to design their 2010 Festival poster. One lucky student's poster will be distributed among all eight registered schools, their towns and communities, Swan Hill and surrounds and will appear on the Fairfax Festival website.

Images must include a villain, a mask and a suitcase, and must be emailed through by July 31st. The winner will be announced in August and will receive a very special prize. Let your imaginations run wild!

The Fairfax Festival runs from October 26th - 28th, in Swan Hill, culminating in the Fairfax Festival Gala, on October 28th, at the Swan Hill Town Hall PACC.

For more information go to: www.fairfaxfestival.com.au