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Perth Festival finale Highway to Hell rocks 2020 Australian Event Awards

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Simon CollinsThe West Australian
Four-year-old Highway to Hell air guitar hero Connor Williams.
Camera IconFour-year-old Highway to Hell air guitar hero Connor Williams. Credit: Sheldon Ang

Hard rocking and hardly highbrow, but Perth Festival finale Highway to Hell has been judged the best cultural, arts or music event in Australia.

The massive free and family-friendly celebration of the life and legacy of late AC/DC frontman Bon Scott was among the winners at the 2020 Australian Event Awards on Wednesday night at a ceremony simulcast live from RAC Arena and venues in other cities.

Staged on March 1, on the 40th anniversary of the burial of Scott at Fremantle Cemetery, Highway to Hell saw 144,000 take over a 10km stretch of Canning Highway for a day-long carnival of music, art and community.

More than 140,000 people lined Canning Highway for AC/DC celebration Highway to Hell.
Camera IconMore than 140,000 people lined Canning Highway for AC/DC celebration Highway to Hell. Credit: Jessica Wyld

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Local and visiting bands performed AC/DC classics on the back of flatbed trucks that rocked and rolled from Canning Bridge to Fremantle.

The event was a boon for local businesses, which reported that trade doubled during the finale.

Perth Festival reported that Highway to Hell had a direct economic impact of more than $6 million and a flow-on benefit to the tune of $17.2 million.

WA Premier Mark McGowan rang the Hells Bell to get the trucks rolling for Perth Festival finale Highway to Hell.
Camera IconWA Premier Mark McGowan rang the Hells Bell to get the trucks rolling for Perth Festival finale Highway to Hell. Credit: Jessica Wyld

Premier Mark McGowan, who donned a black Acca Dacca t-shirt and rang the Hells Bell to get the trucks rolling, celebrated the win on his Facebook page.

“Perth Festival’s Highway to Hell has officially been voted as Australia’s best cultural event at the 2020 Australian Event Awards,” he wrote.

“I reckon I know at least 150,000 people who’d agree with that!

“It feels like a lifetime ago now — but I’m hopeful that we’ll all be able to get out there for the sequel one day.”

Families and hard rock fans gathered in East Fremantle’s Rainbow Zone during Highway to Hell.
Camera IconFamilies and hard rock fans gathered in East Fremantle’s Rainbow Zone during Highway to Hell.

Festival artistic director Iain Grandage, who accepted the honour at the WA ceremony, said he was thrilled to receive the award on behalf of the thousands of people which worked on the event.

“The people of Perth brought our dreams to life by turning out and celebrating our ambitious Bon-fest with such magnificent enthusiasm and generosity of spirit,” he said.

“It was a day to remember before everything changed in a year we will never forget.

“It took a village to raise this wild child of an event and we are forever thankful to the incredible artists, volunteers, sponsors and supporters who backed us in to turn it into rollicking reality.”

AC/DC fans raised horns during Highway to Hell.
Camera IconAC/DC fans raised horns during Highway to Hell. Credit: Cam Campbell

Perth Festival, which returns with an all-WA program from February 5-28 next year, presented Highway to Hell in partnership with the City of Melville, City of Fremantle and the Town of East Fremantle, with support from the State Government through Lotterywest, Tourism WA and other agencies.

Grandage also thanked the Transport Authority, Main Roads and WA Police.

It was a day to remember before everything changed in a year we will never forget.

Iain Grandage

Events held between July last year and June this year were judged by industry leaders and experts for the 2020 Australian Event Awards.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was named the Australian event of the year and best sporting event.

Splendour in the Grass won best tourism event and the music festival’s organiser Jessica Ducrou won event producer of the year.

Dom Mariani and the Tommyhawks rocking the huge crowd at Highway to Hell.
Camera IconDom Mariani and the Tommyhawks rocking the huge crowd at Highway to Hell. Credit: Tashi Hall

City of Perth’s Australia Day Skyworks was named the WA winner of best community event.

Other winners include the North Australian Festival of Arts 2019, the Melbourne Cricket Club, Outback Queensland Masters 2019 golf and Adelaide Fringe.

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