Horse Couture at the Grand Parade on Saturday 1st November and Mansfield Races
on Tuesday 4th November

Judy Oldmeadow rides Nimrod, with Laurel Frank. 'Firebug' wearable art Horse Couture costume designed by Liz Bannister.

Laurel Frank of Circus Oz has lead workshops with Mansfield costume designers to create wearable art for horses and their riders to be presented during the Grand Parade and then at the Mansfield Races on Melbourne Cup day.

This sculpture by Anton Costantino was an artwork in the Arts Council of Mansfield's Median to Rare Sculpture Exhibition 2007

Welcome to the High Country Festival

Legends, lore and bush icons, celebrating horse and high country huts, is the underlying theme for this year's 12 day High Country Festival that kicks off with the Spring Arts Walk on Friday 24th October. Horses and our high country huts were seen by our community as important for Mansfield in a cultural and heritage sense.

The High Country Festival strives to create an intimate regional event which engages with innovative ideas and cultural activities with 'design' being integral aspect; and which is committed to supporting Australian artists and our local community. It aims to present significant, high-quality work which local, national, and international audience members will find stimulating, provocative and entertaining.This year, all sectors of our community are collaborating creatively to highlight dearly loved as well as little known aspects of our region’s heritage and culture in an artistically exciting and tantalising way.

The High Country Festival comprises a diverse variety of 23 events ranging from art exhibitions, to unique and quirky community events and of course, horses. The whole Mansfield district is involved. Over 25 community groups work together to create a significant themed, high quality event.
The 12 day event features heritage initiatives art exhibitions, performance, music, bush markets, a grand parade, fireworks a Melbourne Cup picnic race meeting, food and wine events. Six local school communities are actively involved in a concert and the region’s CFA brigades take part in the moving ‘Torchlight Parade’.
The High Country Festival is an opportunity for young people to be heard, artists and musicians to showcase original work, for community groups to celebrate together and welcome friends and visitors to the area. It is a platform to educate and highlight little known and not exploited elements of High Country traditional lifestyles.