Bright turns out for triumphant Twilight Tastings

Bright's town centre was packed last Thursday evening as hundreds of locals and visitors turned out for the annual Bright Twilight Tastings, transforming Ireland Street into a vibrant celebration of local food, wine and community. Live music filled the air, with performances from Minnie and the Moonrakers in front of the clocktower and Vicky Joy Music at the upper end of Ireland Street entertaining guests, as they sampled a diverse range of food and beverages from across the Alpine region. Bright Twilight Tastings committee president Amanda Hore described the fourth annual event as a resounding success. "We've got it down-pat now," she said. "The event was a huge success: everybody had a great time and enjoyed catching up with friends, family, neighbours and the wider community." Long queues formed at food and beverage stalls throughout the evening as attendees eagerly sampled local favourites and discovered new flavours. "This year's Twilight Tastings really matched our original vision," Ms Hore said. "I've had people tell me it's their favourite community event of the year. "We want to thank everyone who came along, our volunteers for donating their time and our sponsors, for ensuring the event remains free for the community." Ms Hore also acknowledged local businesses for their support and cooperation during the event. "We worked closely with central businesses to minimise disruptions during the road closures and we're especially grateful to those who provided access to power for stallholders throughout the evening," she said. The relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere was enhanced by a range of children's activities, including a silent disco, face painting, chalk drawing and the popular Snazzy Snaps photo booth. One young attendee enjoying the silent disco with friends summed up the mood of the evening by declaring: "This is the best birthday ever!" At the northern end of Ireland Street, the Bright SES Unit showcased its emergency response vehicles and equipment, while its floodlight balloon helped illuminate the precinct as darkness fell. SES section leader Nathaniel West said the event has continued to grow in popularity. "It keeps getting better every year," he said. "We've had a lot of interest from attendees viewing our truck on display and it was even great to have one of our former members stop by and admire some of the recent upgrades to our equipment." Leanne and Russell Downing from Sydney attended the celebrations with their Golden Retrievers Teddy and Boyd, praising both the Twilight Tastings and the region at large. "We've really enjoyed the variety of local food and wine on offer," Ms Downing said. "We visit Bright as often as we can because it's such a beautiful part of the world. "We've spent Christmas here before and we already look forward to our next trip."

Bright turns out for triumphant Twilight Tastings

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