All the fun of FeNaClNG

Despite a few nervous hours wondering if their headline act would turn up, FeNaClNG 2015 has been hailed a big success and from early estimates has raised more than $50,000 to put back into the community.

Troy Cassar Daley managed to get on stage as planned after his Qantas flight from Perth to Karratha was turned back on Sunday, leaving organisers seeking a plan B in case the worst happened.

Lions Club president Wayne Donohoe joked they would have packed up and left before the furore erupted, had Cassar Daley not turned up.

“We thought we’d have to change the program around and do the fireworks with Troy on at the absolute last, we would have done it that way, ” he said.

“If he hadn’t turned up we figured we were all going to leave and let the crowd find out while we weren’t here, because we would have been run out of town.”

Mental As Anything got the adults up for a dance on Saturday night but Cassar Daley stole the show on Sunday, with kids and adults alike bopping around to his own songs plus covers of The Wiggles and The Highwaymen.

As usual, the teenagers in the crowd were too cool to dance.

Mr Donohoe said it had been a massive, sleepless effort from the Lions Club, volunteers and schools to put the event together.

“Without the community assistance, the volunteers and the backing of sponsors this simply wouldn’t happen and it would be a real shame to see it go, ” he said.

“Watching the last firework go off was the highlight for me because it meant we could finally relax.”

Festival goers had a wide range of stalls and rides to per use including the return of the RM Williams truck. Other big hits on this year’s program included the Police Pipe Band and Phil Doncon’s Paint Storm.

The children, teachers and parents went all out once again for the float parade, which was this year won by the Dr Seuss- inspired entry from Karratha Primary School.

Karratha Gymnastics Club was named runners up after entering for the first time and the scouts and Pegs Creek Primary were equal third. Karratha Primary Parents and Citizens president Tanya Graham said the $2000 prize money was valuable funding for the school.

“Last year we came second and that money went towards some new piano keyboards, ” she said.

Plenty of people took up the chance to have a go at hitting Brad Hogg out of the park, and WA Police piper Neil Walker managed to do so twice.

Dooper Dog and Spirit Radio morning show host Pablo Newton-Farley were not as successful, with the latter ending up on his backside.