Images courtesy of Lake Mac Libraries
A week-long History Illuminated festival championed history and heritage in Lake Macquarie during NSW History Week 2018. With the aim to surprise and inspire, as well as inform our community, and connect like- minded people with a ‘one-stop shop’, Lake Mac Libraries joined with Hunter Writers Centre
to present the festival from 1 to 8 September 2018 and bring together historians, researchers, collectors and authors with fascinating stories from our past.
The diverse program of events including a stage play, History Council of NSW Speaker Connect presentations, interviews, workshops, displays, readings, and a pop-up retro gaming arcade offered festival- goers a variety of sessions to attend. From stories of Lake Macquarie’s past to military battles, pictorial histories, biographies and family stories, crime, pandemics, academic research and investigative writing, a parade of original clothing, and
displays on Viking history, the trenches of WW1 and an exhibition on local cemeteries, – History Illuminated had something to suit the taste of every history buff.
To allow for equitable access sessions were held at multiple libraries and venues around the City, and comfortable seating areas and refreshments within each venue encouraged people to stay and attend multiple sessions. There was more than one comment on the fabulous community atmosphere.
From the opening by The Mayor of Lake Macquarie, Cr Kay Fraser to the closing day residents supported the festival. Festival goers also travelled from across the state and interstate to attend for a day, or for the week of the festival. Over 1200 people attended the festival.
The History Council of NSW would like to thank Lake Mac Libraries and Learning Officer, Julie Dunn for providing this wrap up of the History Illuminated Festival to be shared across our platforms as part of the History Council of NSW’s new Regional Focus initiative.