This Friday's night markets, a key event of the Orange Wine Festival, will trial the temporary closure of Byng Street for the first time.
The night market event attracts thousands of people to Robertson Park to sample Orange's wine and food from 54 stalls.
To allow the markets to be set up on Friday, Byng Street will be closed to traffic between Lords Place and Peisley Street from 11 am on Friday morning, through to 11 pm on Friday night. (North-bound traffic alongside the park in in McNamarra Street will be able to exit right into Byng Street towards Peisley Street.)
The night markets will start earlier than usual at 5pm on Friday afternoon (25 October).
STREET MUSIC : One of the music stages will be positioned in the normally busy Byng Street for Friday night's Orange Wine Festival night markets.
Orange mayor Cr Reg Kidd is looking forward to seeing how the new larger space works for the night markets.
"Making better connections between Robertson Park and our Civic Square precinct, is one of the ideas that's being floated by our Future City urban design team," Cr Reg Kidd said. "Ways to conveniently close the street for special events will be looked at in more detail in due course, but in the meantime, it's a great opportunity to see how it can work on Friday night."
"We have two fantastic open spaces, Robertson Park and an open square surrounded by the gallery, library, museum and theatre. But we have a busy street between them. "
"For special events like this, I'm looking forward to seeing how this space can be used by the community."
To match the new space, all of the night-market stalls and stages will be positioned north of the rotunda, out across Byng Street and into the southcourt area . The Byng Street area will also include a large promotional screen and one of the music performance stages.
Orange City Council's Employment and Economic Development Committee chair Cr Tony Mileto is confident local residents will respond well to the temporary interruption.
"It's a suggestion that's worth trialling for special events, and I'm sure locals will be patient with any inconvenience," Cr Tony Mileto said. "There are many other alternative routes around that block so I'm sure people will think ahead and find other ways to their destination."
"I'm sure locals will enjoy joining the fun of a night market in the setting of what's usually a busy street."
"Because of the loss of parking spaces in Byng Street on Friday night, the grassed area in the northcourt will also be open for parking on Friday night."
