To help people dress up for the community celebration, the Dorrigo Dramatic Club will be throwing open the cupboard doors at the Old Gazette Theatre and making their extensive collection of costumes available for hire.

The club has been proudly keeping local theatre alive since 1955 and in the process have amassed thousands of items.

Finding an outfit to suit you may involve a bit of searching and the exercise of some imagination and flexibility, but as organiser Bob Denner pointed out, the important thing is not historical accuracy, it’s about contributing to the spirit of the event.

“We’re not trying to be 100 per cent period authentic, what we’re trying to do is create an atmosphere,” he said.

Bob said apparel choices for men could include military uniforms, dark suits and tweed outfits, jackets and waistcoats, fedora hats, cloth trousers and cloth caps, neckerchief, braces and belts.

For the women, it would be long dresses and skirts, high-necked blouses, gloves, black shoes and stockings and flowery straw hats.

The Dorrigo Dramatic Club’s priceless costume collection received a big boost in the 1990s when the Bellingen Players closed down.

“We got four truckloads of their stuff,” Bob said. “They had a garage full and they were just going to throw it all out or donate it to op shops, so we took the lot.”

Club president Dina Luciani said people hiring costumes would need to pay a bond to ensure their safe return, and delicate items would need to be dry cleaned.

She noted that club member Shirley Moran has dedicated countless hours to improving the state of the collection, fighting dust, perspiration stains and general wear and tear.

“Shirley has spent two years now washing, ironing, mending, rehanging, which has been incredible in terms of preserving the costumes that we have,” Dina said.

Dina Luciani  will be at the Old Gazette Theatre from 11am–1pm on Saturday November 3 for those wishing to borrow costume items. 

People can ring her with enquiries before then on 6657 2243.

The community street party will start at noon on Sunday November 11 at the northern end of Hickory St.  

The street will closed to traffic from 10am, from the Clock Tower to Pine St, and it will be decorated with flags, bunting and banners.

The Belllingen Big Band will be playing and families are invited to bring tables, chairs and a picnic lunch and enjoy the atmosphere of the event.

The Hickory Street Alcohol Free Zone has been temporarily suspended by Bellingen Shire Council from noon until 2.30pm to enable the community to BYO refreshments, and the Lions Club caravan and local cafes will also have food available.

The Dorrigo Girl Guides are organising  games for children and there will be a competition for the best decorated table and period costume.

For more information; contact Bob Denner on 6657 1145 or 0429 406 535 or rdenner@bigpond.net.au

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