By NOEL MURPHY
CHRISTMAS celebrations in Geelong are about to ramp up exponentially with a string of Yuletide features.
A special Myer Christmas Windows showcase in central Geelong to rival the company’s famed display in Melbourne is set to draw tens of thousands of spectators on the back of a giant, controversial Christmas tree floating on Corio Bay.
Other attactions will include special lighting in shopping strips and a community-led shopfront decoration campaign for the central city area.
The council-driven bonanza is aimed at making Christmas a drawcard across Geelong and further afield while boosting civic pride.
City Hall brokered the Myer windows display with the retailer, Westfield and Central Geelong Marketing in what mayor Darryn Lyons called a cost-neutral coup.
“This is part of our activation of central Geelong at the most important trading time of the year,” he told the Independent.
“We’ve negotiated with Myer to bring a retrospective of characters from past Myer Christmas Windows here as part of the 2014 central Geelonng Christmas celebrations.
“The windows draw huge crowds to Myer and the Bourke St mall every year and we expect similar excitement in central Geelong.
“This is the first time the characters from the Myer Melbourne Christmas windows have been brought to Geelong. A gallery-style exhibition will feature some of the best-loved characters from the Myer displays.”
Myer would unveil the windows in mid-November and the floating Christmas tree would appear soon after, Cr Lyons said.
Myer’s Christmas windows have been enchanting families since 1956, drawing an estimated 1.2 million spectators each year.
“This is a great coup for Geelong,” Cr Lyons said.
“The city centre of Geelong will become a special destination at Christmas. And this is just the first stepping stone of something we can be really proud of.
“To assist retailers to make the most of the period Christmas, visual merchandising workshops are being developed along with a best-dressed window competition for central Geelong retailers.
“We’re working to secure some fantastic prizes for the winning displays. There will be a people’s choice award along with a judges’ award.
“And to keep up the suspense, we’ll unwrap more surprises closer to Christmas!”
