Answers:
White night, an event cherished by many which take place annually at Melbourne has been recognized by many as an event which brings joy and fun to all those who attend it. Breathtaking recreational activities such as dances, films, street performances, lighting, installation and street performance have been known to capture the attention of the attendants transforming the one night into a memorable experience that they would never forget (Mercer and Mayfield, 2015).
White night, coming from the French word ‘Nuit Blanche’ found its origin in Paris, France in the year 2002. Its network grew since its origin and had been embraced in over twenty cities all over the world inspiring an annual white night in them. These, however, vary from city to city as the event carried by a particular city reflects its tradition and their way of life. Among the lucky cities to embrace the white night, Melbourne is one of them, conducting its very first stage in the year 2013. An amazing shock to all because event at its first launch the event was such a success that no one would have imagined. A total of three thousand people did attend the event. Now the annual event is so popular that it has found its way to the Australian calendar and with an average attendance of five hundred thousand people to enjoy the night (Cecinato et al., 2009).
Unique Selling Proposition
For a single night only, the unreal turns real. Extending from local to international artists who entertain the crowds in various cherishing activities that make the night a memorable event. Several performers and musicians rock the city's laneways, parklands, streets, cultural institution and even public spaces with a set of unique and talented performances. The event at night is unimaginable when the people witness the night in a different way of lighting. Installation, music, street performances, and dances, films and lighting transform the night into fantasy (Shaw and Sullivan, 2011).
The 2017 Melbourne White Night Event
The 2017 white night marked the fifth anniversary of the event to be celebrated in Melbourne city. Despite the event being a memorable day, the party this year was not as thorough when compare to the previous year, say 2016 when the event was at its best. However, the event was celebrated with plenty of spectacles. There were giant inflated rabbits which were mesmerizing projections that caused a lengthy queue at the state library and others positioned along the lawn in Alexander Gardens. The presence of the white messenger knight that were enormous in size was seen traveling up and down the St. Kilda Road.
However, a huge fail of this year’s event was seen where the projections located on Flinders Street, having returned recently didn't present a beautiful scenery, and many didn't take their time to enjoy them. Noted by everyone who attended the white night there were much few public artworks that form the backbone of engagement to the crowd in attendance compared to the previous four years. Despite them being an excellent sport to grab something to eat while escaping from the massive crowd, the Yarra and Birrarung Marr did present so less to see and enjoy (Butt, 2014).
Events at Victoria’s National Gallery on previous white night event has always staged unique White Night installation, but with this year the place was noted to be so quiet since there were no beautiful works to be enjoyed inside the gallery.
At the Alexandra Gardens, there were the illuminating flower gardens and massively inflated bunnies that attracted massive crowds to the spot. However, with the static installations, the place was turned into a loner place, with no room for people to interact as a groupie. Except of course for the little children jumping on the inflated rabbit bunnies and people taking selfies. However, further inside was a sight to behold, with the presence of The Medusa, in a light sculptured cake and sound hovering all along. There was also the Melbourne Creative Studio which hosted a small crane in the air making its various colors change emitting a changing soundscape (Lindsay, 2006).
At the Carlton Gardens, the masses had crowded at the Sonic Light Bubble. Looking like a partially submerged beach-ball, the giant did respond whenever someone touched it. The response was informed of strange noises and changing pulsates and hues. There was also forty fake possum that was hidden at tree tops that freaked the children but in a good way.
The events at the Royal Exhibition building were no slouch either. There were clowns and spiders to enjoy their view. There was a performance that went for about twenty minutes. Between the Museum and the Royal Exhibition Building, there was nebulous, which is a sculpture, spherical in shape that lit up against the sky. This resembles the Chinese luck charm having its wiry fronds that were covered in disks of silver and gold that made it look like coins being fluttered in the wind (Bendigo, 2017).
The Benefits of Melbourne White Night
The White Night in Melbourne presents a beautiful scenery in which the crowds comes to see. From the creative arts at Garden to the library, they all have unimaginable beautiful arts that only are in people’s fantasy, and it's through this event that the got to see them.
The event also gets people involved in various activities. Being an active event, there are performers, entertainers, artists and much more who come to show their talent to the people (Peterson, 2010).The is an appreciation of their culture from the display of cultural artifacts and tool and the involvement in cultural dances and performances enables and reminds the crowd of their culture.
There is the benefit to the host and the government at large since they will collect revenue in the form of taxes and help build their city and country. The performers will be paid, and this will improve their financial status (Dumbraveanu et al., 2014).
Will The Event Last Another Five Years?
In my opinion, the event will go on even for more than five years. The event has been popularized among the citizens to the extent that it is in their calendar. One time failure doesn’t mean the end of the event, just a little improvement and the people will keep enjoying what has now become part of their annual celebration. Events at the garden, the library, the city square, and others are a memorable event that has become part of every child's upbringing, and parents would wish for nothing more than giving their children the best childhood memories that they can be there (Athanasopoulou, 2015).
References
Athanasopoulou, E., 2015. Managing The Urban Image. Cities as Scenery For Events: A White Night Event As A Case Study. Romanian Review of Regional Studies, 11(2), p.41.
Butt, D., 2014. White Night: City As Event. WHITE NIGHT: CITY AS EVENT, p.5.
Cecinato, A., Balducci, C., Nervegna, G., Tagliacozzo, G. and Allegrini, I., 2009. Ambient air quality and drug aftermaths of the Notte Bianca (White Night) holidays in Rome. Journal of environmental monitoring, 11(1), pp.200-204.
Dumbraveanu, D., Tudoricu, A. and Craciun, A., 2014. THE NIGHT OF MUSEUMS-A BOOST FACTOR FOR THE CULTURAL DIMENSION OF TOURISM IN BUCHAREST. Human Geographies, 8(1), p.55.
Lindsay, J., 2006. A big night out in Melbourne: Drinking as an enactment of class and gender. Contemporary Drug Problems, 33(1), pp.29-61.
Mercer, D. and Mayfield, P. (2015). City of the Spectacle: White Night Melbourne and the politics of public space. Australian Geographer, 46(4), pp.507-534.
Nam, Y.T., Case Study: White Night Melbourne in 2013 and 2014 Disruption or Contribution Toward the Socially Engaged Public (Art) ?.
Peterson, W., 2010. The Fashioning of a Melbourne Event: The Melbourne International Arts Festival 2002-2009. Australasian Drama Studies, pp.84-102.
Shaw, S. and Sullivan, D.M., 2011. “White Night”: Gentrification, racial exclusion, and perceptions and participation in the arts. City & Community, 10(3), pp.241-264.
