Since its inception nine years ago, the annual Glow Winter Arts Festival has brought loads of after-dark fun to the City of Stonnington. From June 15 to 18, Central Park in Malvern East will be glowing up with a dazzling program of immersive light, colour and art. This year, the festival will feature a series of newly commissioned outdoor illuminations from acclaimed Australian artists, plus special live performances and food trucks.
Highlights include Escape To The Alps, a neon-lit winter wonderland where you can ski the slopes, ride a toboggan and play with giant snowmen. At the centre of this alpine forest is a dazzling light installation depicting ice skaters twirling on a sandstone fountain.
Monsters Love You... But Might Eat You is a giant, brightly coloured inflatable artwork that explores the joyous and powerful spirit of human beings, as well as the 'monster aspects' aka the parts we don't like and want to hide. Tree Man – another illuminated, inflatable sculpture – explores the importance of humans connecting with and nurturing the environment via references to the glowing lights of our devices.
And be sure to head to the Conservatory each night (start times vary) for a mesmerising live performance that follows a lone animal-human creature on a journey into the unknown. Set within a plant-filled biosphere, it dives into themes of absence and presence, joy and loneliness.
The lights come on at 5pm each night, and the festival is completely free to attend. And because it wouldn't be a winter festival without hot chocolates and delicious warming feeds, there will be a variety of food trucks on-site each night. Find out more here.
