The annual New Year's Eve fireworks display at Dinner Plain has been scrapped for a 10-day light festival aimed at "transforming" the high country village over the festive season.
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The Dinner Plain Festival of Light will showcase the alpine village from each night December 23 until January 2 highlighting the snowgums and local architecture.
Alpine Shire Council organisers have got RTR Productions, who have coordinated White Night events in Melbourne and regional Victoria, on board to create the design and effects.
Alpine Shire Council Dinner Plain marketing and events officer Nathan Fenton said the event has been specifically designed to provide a suitable replacement for the normal public events that "prioritises public safety and COVID-19 compliance".
"In the current climate we have to be responsible in the face of increased bushfire risk, and of course COVID-19 restrictions," he said.
Last year's fireworks were also cancelled due to the high fire danger risk.
The light show will take over the village entrance roundabout and recreation zone.
"A joint decision has been made by the community and council to look for alternatives to the fireworks and mass public gatherings usually hosted at Dinner Plain," Mr Fenton said.
"Dinner Plain is a popular destination for the Christmas holidays and one of the draw-cards is the events and activities operating over this period. We've challenged ourselves to come up with an event that provides as much spectacle, without the risks attached to fireworks or condensed gatherings."
Mr Fenton said the festival is "unlike anything ever seen in the High Country".
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"We're really excited to see such a unique event land this Christmas and New Year's period," he said.
"It takes the previous one-night attraction of fireworks and replaces it with something we think will be just as spectacular, and runs for a full 10 days. "The great element is that it encourages self-exploration in a large outdoor area where social distancing will always be possible.
"When the sun goes down, Dinner Plain will be lit up into something completely unrecognisable to those who have known the village for decades."
The festival is hoped to bring more visitors to the wider alpine region over the summer holidays after COVID restrictions saw tourism plummet in towns including Bright and Mount Beauty.
"This will be an unmissable grand attraction, for visitors, residents and those in Bright and the valleys as well," Mr Fenton said.
"We're excited to show off Dinner Plain to locals and visitors alike."
