Pier party

I may be one of the few to attend both festivals, yet there were a surprising number of similarities between this Saturday's event and last. For a large stage, bar area and international food formed part of this year's family friendly (and free) Piers Festival.

It's probably a good job that there is also a sober side to Mulicultural Arts Victoria's celebration of boat people, as the idea of hosting a pure music festival on an unfenced pier would give most safety managers kittens.

By the time the sun set and Jimmy Bosch and his Salsa Kingz (sic) took to the stage there was a carnival atmosphere, aided and abetted by a pre-cursor to tomorrow's Australia day fireworks display. It seems the cruise ship companies missed a trick as, just across the water, Station Pier lay surprisingly empty.