Chill Out 2012

This year I took a day off work and headed up to Daylesford and to Chill Out's Carnival day. With their website headline of 'Queer Country Pride', how could I not? I drove up with two good mates and to get the party started early, we had a Pet Shop Boys mix playing loudly all the way up. I suspect that my friends kept turning the music up in order to drown out my off-key singing. Anyway, a country drive isn't complete without at least one wrong turn and getting lost, even if it is only momentarily! Eventually we arrived and met up with another mate of mine. We had a lovely and relaxed day! We all bumped into people we knew. We ate great food, listened to both good and woeful music, as well as people watched (how come this hasn't yet become an official Olympic Event?). The thing I love most about Chill Out, is that you set up your own little space with chairs, blanket, drinks, snacks and then sit and talk, or walk about,  or visit other peoples little spaces, or entertain others visiting your space! Ahhhh, such a great day... anyway, I of course took photos.

The 'Mad cow' and her soon-to-be husband

Their Wedding cake, out on display.

The Space. Chill Out's Carnival day is held at Victoria Park in Daylesford... Just  lovely!

The People:

Dead Zombie Pirates were all the rage.....

The Conductor! 

The Conductor also had an old TAA bag!!!

and gave me change with my ticket:

We wondered why there were so many Pirates around, then someone told us that the Parade, which took place earlier, had a Pirate theme... Ahhh!

We thought the pirate theme might have been taken up by this gentleman as well...

Some cool looking people:

So many people had their dog's with them..others had their children....and some had both.

You could buy lots of colorful and interesting hats to cheer yourself up!

Like this happy little monkey... umm ok.. maybe not.. I think he is wondering "Maybe I don't look as cool as I thought in this blue hoody.. It seemed like such a good idea at the time....I mean, when I tried it on at the shop it looked really cool....but now... I just don't know":

I almost missed this display at the Baked Potato stand, till a friend pointed it out excitedly and said 'Take a photo!'

Bubbles for everyone!!!!! 

And as we drove off into the sunset singing 'Go West', we yearned for the day in which we all lived peacefully and 'happily ever after', all co-existing harmoniously under a rainbow flag... err ok, I made the rainbow flag bit up...

 

All Photographs copyright Matthew Schiavello 2012