The Great Art Deco Ball. Greg Poppleton returned by popular demand to the highlight of the Blue Mountains 1920s Festival – the Great Art Deco Ball – celebrating 12 years in 2022 at the wedding cake-like, Carrington Hotel in Katoomba.
Greg Poppleton 1920s-style singer and dancers…
The Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, is largely a national park with a string of towns through its centre along the western highway from Sydney known for their beauty and arts. Katoomba is the largest of these towns.
This year, because of Covid, the Carrington Hotel’s famous Great Art Deco Ball was moved from its traditional February date to Saturday 2nd April.
It was a dazzling Hollywood entertainment experience ‘1920’s style’ of dining and dancing. Stepping out in the fashion of a bygone era in the Grand Dining Room of the historic Carrington Hotel, Katoomba.
Full dance floor at the 2022 Great Art Deco Ball…
Greg Poppleton, Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 1930s singer, brought the ‘twenties’ to life adding a little vintage glamour to the night!
Step out in the fashion of a bygone era and dance the night away, enjoy a sumptuous 3-course dinner, with prizes for best dressed.
In Greg’s band: Geoff Power cornet and sousaphone, Grahame Conlon banjo and guitar, and Richelle Booth clarinet and bass saxophone.
Richelle Booth on the bass sax…
CARRINGTON HOTEL
The Carrington Hotel is a heritage-listed former spa, hotel and power station and now hotel and public bar located at Katoomba Street, Katoomba in the City of Blue Mountains local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by John Kirkpatrick and Bosser in 1882; and by Edward H. Hogben with Goyder Brothers in 1911-13; and built from 1882 to 1913 by F. Drewett in 1882; and by Howie, Brown and Moffit in 1912-13. It is also known as Great Western Hotel. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Geoff Power on the mighty sousaphone…
The Carrington is the only 19th century grand resort hotel still in use in New South Wales. It also retains much of the fabric of its major phases of development and continues to occupy the commanding position in Katoomba that it has done since its construction. It was built in 1883 by Harry George Rowell, a large hotel owner from Sydney, and was owned by a series of prominent families over the next century. Today it is still operating as a high class hotel providing accommodation and restaurant services.
Grahame Conlon on banjo and guitar…
THE GRAND DINING ROM
From 1885 Carrington began to make additions to the premises including an additional wing, dining hall, two drawing rooms and a music room, resulting in 119 bedrooms and seven suites of rooms, two tennis courts and flower and vegetable gardens.. He told a newspaper reporter in 1890 of the improvements he had made. The article read,
“Among the additions and improvements to the building are the following — a wing built (in 1886) of cut stone, and having a southerly aspect, consisting of 20 single rooms, and called ‘the bachelors’ wing.’ Early in 1888 Mr. Goyder, having taken advantage of his right, purchased the hotel, and, finding the accommodation insufficient, added 50 more rooms. This addition stands in the courtyard and is joined to the main building. It is higher than the remaining portions of the hotel and adds to the imposing appearance of the pile. A music-room has also been added to the drawing room, and is separated from it by large folding doors. The floor of the music room is of polished tallow-wood, and is partly covered with Austrian rugs, which are easily removed for dancing. The piano is a Brinsmead, and is considered one of the finest grands; its tone is full and soft. The dining hall is also new; it measures 60ft, by 40ft. The floor is carpeted, and everything conducive to comfort is present. The ceiling is lofty, the lighting good, and the table decorations and menu leave nothing to be desired. This hall is capable of seating 200 guests. There are now 135 rooms in the hotel, among which are seven suites of private apartments, most comfortably furnished and conveniently situated, including one of the prettiest bridal suites to be found in the colonies.”
Geoff Power soloing on trumpet…
The book Greg Poppleton’s 1920s-30s music for your event, email Tony Jex at OzManagement tony@ozmanagement.com
Actor - Singer - Voiceover 