Ballarat’s Claire Fletcher, 5, and Tess Fletcher, 6, at the 2017 Winter Wonderlights festival. Picture: Kate Healy.

Erin Williams, Sovereign Hill’s Christmas in July Winter Wonderlights to attract more then 100,000 visitors, The Courier, 8 June 2018

The Sovereign Hill township will come alive this winter with more than 15 kilometres of fairy lights featuring in Australia’s largest light projection spectacle staged on one site.

The outdoor museum’s multi-award winning Christmas in July Winter Wonderlights event has this year expanded its footprint.

Sovereign Hill marketing director Jennifer Ganske said the festival had more light projections than ever before, bringing the total to 25 dazzling buildings.

She said the event had attracted international visitors in the past, but it had unexpectedly attracted more Victorian visitors.

“The event has gone above and beyond our expectations. We were not prepared of how much Victorians loved it,” Ms Ganske said.

She said Winter Wonderlights had gone from 30,000 people in its first year to more than 100,000 people attending last year.

The massive influx has meant organisers are now encouraging people to book online before arriving at Sovereign Hill.

This will avoid disappointment of missing out on seeing the spectacle, Ms Ganske said.

Snow (of the faux variety), sensational wintery lights – including more than 15 kilometres of fairy lights throughout Sovereign Hill’s garden – people singing Christmas carols and a suave gingerbread man will feature at this year’s event.

Tickets can be purchased on the website www.winterwonderlights.com.au before the event, which runs from June 30 to July 22.