Get ready for some high-flying entertainment as the Ballarat Heritage Festival prepares to take off once again.
The countdown is now on for Ballarat's biggest celebration of all things heritage, with another bumper edition of the award-winning festival on the cards.
The festival annually transforms Ballarat into a living museum, inviting locals and visitors to step back in time and experience the stories, sounds, and traditions that have shaped the city.
The 10-day festival will be held from Friday 16 May to Sunday 25 May 2025, celebrating Ballarat's rich heritage, unique stories and vibrant creative community.
The flagship event of the 2025 festival will be 'Entertainment of the Air' - a spectacular celebration of aviation that will thrill aviation enthusiasts and families alike.
The free event will be based at the Ballarat Airport and will include a suite of entertainment options including live music from the 1940's inspired singing trio Pacific Belles, vintage photographs, museums and exhibitions, plus the option to book a chartered vintage aircraft joy ride.
A classic Douglas DC-3 aircraft, built in 1945, will even make the journey, chartering passengers from Essendon Airport before allowing people to get up close and personal with the aircraft in Ballarat.
Free shuttle buses will also operate throughout both weekends to transport people between the airport, Ballarat Town Hall, Eureka Centre and Sovereign Hill.
The 2025 Heritage Festival will also see a return of familiar favourites you know and love that have made the festival unique.
From vintage car shows to the Beard and Stache Competition, steam train rides to Old Ballarat Goal Tours, Craft Lab to the Ballarat Antiques Fair, there will be no shortage of entertainment on this year's program.
City of Ballarat Councillor, Cr Samantha McIntosh said the Ballarat Heritage Festival provided a great opportunity to showcase the city's complex and rich history.
"The Ballarat Heritage Festival is a true celebration of our city's rich history and vibrant community spirit, bringing our past to life in an extraordinary way," she said.
"The 'Entertainment of the Air' program looks especially exciting and I encourage people to head along to the Ballarat airport and experience something completely different in a place they might never have been in our city."
With less than a month until the 2025 festival kicks off, you can now check out the full program online and begin creating your festival itinerary.
More than 15,000 people are expected to attend this year's festival, which is expected to contribute $2 million to the Ballarat economy.
The Ballarat Heritage Festival falls in the middle of a busy period for the City of Ballarat events team.
The Heritage Festival comes hot on the heels of the Ballarat Begonia Festival, with preparations also in full swing for the three-week long Ballarat Winter Festival in July.
Events either owned or funded by the City of Ballarat injected an estimated $52 million into the Ballarat economy in the 2023/2024 financial year, from an investment of $3.1 million.
View the full event program and start planning your heritage escape by visiting the Ballarat Heritage Festival website.
