Opening night for The Light Garden in Centennial Park is upon us, and here is the Quick Guide to The Light Garden to help with some of the questions and information needs you may have.

1. Here’s the Centennial Park 125th Anniversary website
2. Here’s The Light Garden Program Guide (PDF)
3. Here’s the page with the Event Site Map
4. Here’s the Centennial Parklands Map (PDF) – the event site is in Grid Ref: E3
5. Here’s the Opening Night (18 January) program
6. Here’s details on The Light Garden Photo Competition
7. Here’s details of all the event partners and performers at The Light Garden
8. Here’s a link to send an eCard about The Light Garden to a friend or family member
9. Here’s Centennial Parklands Facebook page (to share images)
10. Here’s Centennial Parklands Twitter feed (use #cp125)
11. Here’s a link to the Peter Solness Night Magic Photography Workshop (Wed 23 January)

If unfamiliar with Centennial Parklands:

1. Here’s how to get to Centennial Parklands
2. Here’s Parklands Rules and Regulations
3. Here’s the history of Centennial Park!

If you have any questions, you can contact us or drop into our Visitor Information Counter.

There’s nothing left now but to pack your picnic rug, food and drink (or purchase on-site!), grab your camera and come for a beautiful summer evening in Sydney’s Centennial Park!

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Don’t forget to subscribe to our eNewsletters to keep up-to-date with all the events, activities, projects and information on Centennial Parklands!

For the third time this fortnight, we’ve released a date for a Peter Solness Night Magic Photography Workshop at The Light Garden in Centennial Park. Why has this been so popular? Just have a look below. Don’t miss out on this last workshop!

Who is Peter Solness?

Fig by Night, by Peter Solness (taken in Centennial Park)

Peter Solness has worked as an assignment photographer for more than 25 years, working primarily for magazine, corporate and commercial clients, both in Australia and internationally. His work is held in collections in the National Library of Australia, State Library NSW, Museum of Sydney, and the NSW Parliament collection.

He gathered such a reputation for his work that Time magazine in 2006 named him one of ‘Australia’s finest photographers’.

In 2010 Peter won the NSW Parliament Plein Air Photography prize with an illuminated night photograph.

In more recent years, Peter has moved more into fine-art photography, and in particular a photography technique colloquially known as ‘painting with light’. From this has sprung Peter’s Illuminated Landscapes series.

We first came across Peter and his work as part of the Head On Photo Festival, that appears in Centennial Park annually.

The best outcome for us is that Peter has also made the decision to share his knowledge and skills through his Night Magic Photography Workshops, and based himself right here in Centennial Park.

You can book on one!

What are the workshops like?

Let’s not tell you, let’s show you:

Want to see what’s possible in Centennial Park?

Here’s a great image of one of our Griffins taken by Peter…

The Griffin in Centennial Park, by Peter Solness

Want to book on the new workshop?

These new workshops are actually ‘unique’ – and we can use that word correctly! The Light Garden will only be on for 10 days and this series of workshops are taking advantage of the amazing opportunities that will be available for illuminated night photography.

• Friday 25 January 2013 – workshop now sold out
• Thursday 24 January 2013 – workshop now sold out
• Wednesday 23 January 2013 – new one we have just released, book now!

Special 2013 bonus image

As part of our 125th Anniversary celebrations, Peter has taken a very special image of our very own Federation Pavilion. We’d like to reveal it now!

Federation Pavilion, by Peter Solness

Just a stunning illuminated night photograph of a very special monument. Thank you, Peter!

Love his work? Buy the book

Peter has a stunning Illuminated Landscapes book available for purchase. A great gift idea.

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Fancy yourself as a photographer? Come along to The Light Garden any night from 18-27 January, take your own photos and you could win Peter Solness’ book! Details of this competition will be released shortly, but this is a little heads up to blog readers!

Good luck!

The Light Garden program guide is now available to download, or you can pick up a copy from the Information Stall on event night.

Click the image above to download your copy in PDF

Click the image above, or click here, to download the full program guide (PDF, 850 kb).

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Want to bring a dog to The Light Garden? While dogs are able to attend any night, why not come on Thursday 24 January, otherwise known as Doggie Night!

We have to warn you, however, there will be some seriously cute dogs in attendance. Check out our blog post from last year on the famous “Dachshunds in the Park” group that meet in Centennial Park monthly!

If you haven’t yet followed the Centennial Parklands Blog, take a look around, we’re pretty sure that – if you like Centennial Parklands – you’ll like our blog. If you like the blog but keep forgetting to come to visit us, then add our RSS to your RSS Reader of choice, or alternately use a free service like Blogtrottr (which turns our blog posts into formatted emails and sends our post automatically to your email inbox).

The Light Garden in Centennial Park is just days away now, and one of the questions we are being asked is: “Where exactly is The Light Garden going to be in Centennial Park?”. So, to help, here’s a map…and a few other questions answered…

For those familiar with Centennial Park, the event site is located between Paddington Gates and Centennial Parklands Dining:

Location of The Light Garden

More specifically, here’s an event site map that shows the event site up close…

The Light Garden event site map

Hopefully that will help with the ‘location’ question.

Now, some answers to a few more questions:

• What gates will be open after hours in Centennial Park?
  We’ll keep Robertson Road Gates and Paddington Gates open.
• Where should I park my car?
  Parking conditions remain the same as daytime parking, however there will be one small road closure on Parkes Drive, from the intersection with Hamilton Drive to the intersection with Grand Drive. Otherwise parking opportunities remain the same.
• Is there anything else on in Centennial Park during this time?
  Actually, yes. Moonlight Cinema is playing every night, and on some nights Centennial Parklands Dining will be closed for private functions.
• Will the event be on if it rains?
  Yes, no, ummm…maybe. The answer to this will depend highly upon how much rain and how heavy! The lights are all weatherproof, so if there has only been a little rain, then we’re open for business! If there is steady rain or inclement conditions, then we’ll likely not be on. If in doubt, check our website or check Facebook or check Twitter. If you do not have access to these, then we will activate our automated Wet Weather Line with updates: (02) 9339 6670.
• Can I bring a dog to the event? Is the event site on-leash or off-leash?
  Yes, however the event site is strictly on-leash at all times. We would prefer, if possible, that dog owners wishing to bring a dog to the event come to the Thursday 24 January session, as that is nominated ‘Doggie Night’ where we will be aiming to have 125 dogs gathered and (hopefully) dressed to celebrate! Dog owners must also bring their own dog poo bags and clean up after their dogs.

Hope that helps with a few questions.

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Have you started the “125 Things To Do” challenge yet? Two weeks down, only 50 weeks to go until 2014. Better not dally too much longer!