Mayor's Message

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the official guide for the 2007 Willoughby Spring Festival. The month of September is filled with forty-five fabulous festivities including cultural celebrations, a stunning visual arts program, music, theatre, business events and a focus on our natural environment with garden shows, bushwalks and bike rides.

This guide reflects the active community involvement and pride that exists in Willoughby with many of the events being run by the community for the community. It also showcases a diverse range of interests and talents through the events, exhibitions and experiences on offer.

If you are a new resident or visitor to Willoughby the festival is an opportunity to explore the City of Willoughby and engage with others of like-minded interests. Likewise it is an opportunity for friends and family to catch up and enjoy great experiences in your own backyard.

This Spring Festival is a significant historical moment for Willoughby as we farewell the Civic Centre and enter into a new phase, with the development of the new Chatswood Civic Place. You are welcome to join us to farewell the Civic Centre with a series of events culminating with the Last Hurrah on Saturday 29th September. Celebrations such as the Spring Festival foster talent and actively engage the community. These same principles will form the foundations of community participation and ownership of the new Chatswood Civic Place.

In closing, I would like to make a special thanks to all of the community members involved in running Spring Festival events and the Cultural Events Committee Members for their valued contribution to the Willoughby Spring Festival 2007.

Mayor Councillor Pat Reilly