The Lara Heritage Festival Committee was formed in the early 1980s to bring together members of the local community who would organise and run a triennial festival that was unique to the local area and provided a range of fun-filled events and activities for Lara residents and visitors of all ages. It was an initiative of the Lions Club of Lara and the Lara Progress Association to conduct a week of events and activities which provided fun and entertainment at little or no cost for all participants. The aim of our Festival is to have fun together, to get to know one another better, and to grow as a community. We hope to strengthen our community spirit and encourage active participation to help build and nurture our community awareness.
Many hours of planning, expertise and hard work resulted in our inaugural Festival in 1982 and we have since conducted a further nine Festivals (1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008). The success of this Festival has been the involvement of many groups, clubs and organisations from within the township of Lara, and some from the Geelong area, including the Shire of Corio (now City of Greater Geelong).
Lara has a very colourful past, from the earliest days of discovery in 1802 when Matthew Flinders and his party traveled across the plains from the bay, to what is now Lara, onwards to the You Yangs where he gained an elevated vantage point to visually survey the surrounding districts to where Geelong now stands, and beyond.
In the early days of settlement such place names as Swindon, Cheddar and Duck Ponds were associated with the area now known as Lara. These old names have long gone but Lara's heritage and history have established a proud tradition which has carried on through the years and remains today a part of Lara's heartbeat. The Lara Heritage Festival is evidence of this spirit which is displayed as the numerous and varied activities of each successive Festival unfold.
Our current Festival ran over three days and attracted visitors from all over. The Committee of Management was made up of enthusiastic representatives from local business and private citizens. Although there was an official Committee of Management there were a number of people (both individuals and those representing groups/clubs/organisations) who assist by organising events and/or activities. We encouraged everyone to be involved with all areas of the Festival. Without the support of our local community groups and organisations a 'community festival' would not survive.
The 'face' of each Festival is provided by a Festival Patron who is a community member held in high regard and who receives acknowledgment of their standing through the position of Patron. Some of the Patron's tasks include opening official events, visiting schools and leading the Grand Street Parade.
The growth of Lara means that a large number of new residents are moving into the area. This combined with existing residents unfamiliar with the history of Lara, and the passing on of older residents clearly supports the need for some form of permanent marking of historical sites, and the recording of Lara's history. An increasing population also means that there are going to be more visitors thereby warranting a Civic Guide/Information Centre.
The Lara Heritage Festival is a totally 'not for profit' event and all aspects of the organisation of each Festival are open to all members of the community. Regular meetings are held with an open invitation for any interested person/s to attend.
The introduction of the Lara Food and Wine Festival has now taken over the March timeslot and the Lara Heritage Festival has now been disbanded and reformed into the Lara Spring Fair which will be held bi-annually in November.