How much fun was The Park! The Pony Bar and Motel was smaller than we remembered from the previous Melbourne Cup carnivals, but it still offered us some great photo backdrops. With a couple of beds thrown into The Pony Bar to make it a motel, seating space was a little awkward and reduced. The beds did invite you to lie back and relax! Unfortunately for most fashionistas, our outfits didn’t allow us to do that!
Fashion Photo Opportunities
The Pony Bar and Motel could have been closer to the FOTF (Fashions on The Field) stage so we could enjoy it more. Even a minute’s walk to the bar was a feat, especially for those wearing heels! More importantly, we would miss out on the fashion action on the stage if we ventured too far away. Maybe next year, it will be back to how we knew it. Here’s hoping!
The front entrance remained the same with the leafy arches. This spot is always a favourite for photos. TAB and Dyson had activations within The Park precinct with their automated cameras. TAB’s 360-degree video camera was fun, but the lighting was only on one side. You could get your hair styled within the Dyson enclosure. After, you could get a wide-angle video in their video room to share on social media.
Style & Fun at the Melbourne Cup Carnival
The music stage is where the FOTF enclosure was in previous years. By the end of the day, fashionistas were dancing away to the talent on stage. It was one way to keep warm in what was probably the coldest Melbourne Cup Carnival ever! It was such a pity that the coldness got to me. I missed the band Sneaky Sound System because I went home! Judging by the crowd around the stage, there must have been some good musicians entertaining them.
The Stables consisted of three shipping containers converted into photo booths. These were so much fun! Some just stood inside and got photos (me included). Others put some effort into their poses, using the backdrops in a fun way! Each photo booth had a different theme. One photo-booth had a mirror on one wall. One photo booth was set up like a hotel reception. One photo booth had a bed up the back wall. The only bad thing about these photo booths was that the floor got super dirty very quickly with mud and grass!
What’s a Melbourne Cup Carnival if you don’t take a million photos? The Park precinct was the place to be if you were after fun photos to remind you of your time there. My favourite backdrop was on the outside wall of the Pony Bar and Motel. There was half a Volks Wagon bus protruding outwards. The pink, mint green and cream colour tones were just beautiful!
Here are some snaps of fashionable people having fun within The Park precinct. Enjoy.