Kalbarri Zest Festival organisers are promising a night of opulence, emotion and celebration atthe festival’s Opening Night Pleasure Garden at Rainbow Jungle on Friday September 16.

Guests will wear Venetian-carnival-style masks and adorn themselves in ornate Baroque attire as they mingle, dine and sip sparkling wine while listening to the classical music of the Perth Symphony Orchestra String Quartet and the choral music of the Giovanni Consort.

Amid enchanting lighting and sumptuously decorated surrounds, attendees will enjoy canapes, and sparkling wine before indulging in a standing gourmet main meal and desert.

Zest Festival director Rebecca Millar said the Opening Night Pleasure Garden would provide Kalbarri residents and visitors with the excuse to frock up and indulge in life’s finer pleasures.

“This year’s Zest Festival is all about celebrating history and community - it will be filled with many emotions as we reflect on the past five years and express gratitude to all who have made the Zest Festival a success, especially our major partner the ARC Centre for the History of Emotions,” Ms Millar said.

“It will be a magical evening of cultured activity and stunning music held in enchanting surrounds thanks to the generous support of the Embassy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.”

Ms Millar said Zest Fest organisers were particularly excited to have secured performances from the Perth Symphony Orchestra and the Giovanni Consort, made possible by the State Government through Tourism WA’s Regional Events Scheme (throughRoyalties for Regions), Mid West Development Commission Community Chest Fund, the Department of Culture and the Arts Regional and Remote Touring Fund and Lotterywest. This much appreciated support shows how important cultural events are in regional WA.

“To have music of such class and distinction here in Kalbarri is a real coup,” Ms Millar said.

“The festival is all about bringing the arts and cultural experiences to us in the country and what better way of doing this than bringing such beautiful classical music to Kalbarri.”

Voyager Estate Winery has produced a sparkling chenin blanc especially for this year’s finale Zest Festival, a glass of which will be provided on arrival at the Opening Night.

A licensed bar area will also be available.Tickets costs $80 and are available at www.zestfest.com.au.

This year’s Zest Festival celebrations are the last in a five-year festival which commemorates the 300th anniversary of the sinking of the Dutch East Indies trading ship the Zuytdorp, on the cliffs north of Kalbarri. The festival is also part of a year-long celebration of the 400-year anniversary of Dirk Hartog’s landing in Shark Bay.

The weekend will also include a kaleidoscope of other cultural activity, including music, dance, art and games.

Keep abreast of plans by checking the website www.zestfest.com.au and on Facebook www.facebook.com/KalbarriZestFestival.