By Carolyn Webb
It was a hit long before she was born but nine-year-old Ella Larosa’s favourite Kylie Minogue song is the catchy Can’t Get You Out of My Head.
“I think it’s very upbeat,” she said, adding, “Mum plays it all the time at home.”
Family day out: Kylie Larosa and daughter Ella at Kylie and Dannii Day at Camberwell Sunday Market.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Ella’s mother’s name happens to be Kylie, too, and she remembers in the 1980s watching her namesake playing mechanic Charlene in the TV soap Neighbours.
Kylie and Ella Larosa, of Montmorency, were among fans who headed to the Kylie and Dannii Day at Camberwell Sunday Market. Kylie wanted “to bring Ella into the Kylie and Dannii world” and Ella loved it. “It’s amazing,” Ella said.
The sun emerged after recent rain and drag queens Della Katessen, HollyPop and Brenda Bressed hosted quizzes and fashion and dog parades, and led a rendition of Happy Birthday for Dannii, whose birthday it was.
Kylie tribute artist Millie Minogue, wearing a blonde wig, a shimmering jumpsuit and stilettos, lip-synched to a high-energy mix of Kylie hits.
Spinning around: Kylie tribute artist Millie Minogue danced and lip-synched to a mash-up of hits.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Ella Larosa, wearing a purple poncho, was a finalist in the event’s fashion parade and won a children’s book about Kylie Minogue.
Ella also won a cassette of Dannii’s hits, and the drag queens noted cassettes were “ancient technology” that the kids here had probably never seen.
Some of the prizes were signed by the Minogue sisters.
The actual Minogue sisters were missing from the festival, but Millie Minogue, who has performed a Kylie tribute act for 35 years, said it might be “overwhelming” if they appeared.
Fun is the aim: Entrants in the event’s fashion parade.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Millie once went to high tea at in Southbank with Dannii, “and there were these mobs of people”.
Dannii had promoted the Kylie and Dannii Day on her Instagram account, but had indicated to the performers that, “we’ll admire you girls from a distance and watch online”.
Kerry Daly, manager of the Camberwell Traders’ Association which runs the festival with the City of Boroondara and the Balwyn Rotary Club, said in terms of security and scale, Kylie and Dannii Day might not have been ready this year to host the sisters, but she hoped Dannii could come in future.
“I can’t imagine we would be able to wangle Kylie; it would depend whether she was in the area.” Daly said.
Hi Kylie: superfan Owen Lambourn poses next to a Kylie Minogue cardboard cutout at the festival.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Kylie and Dannii Day started in 2022 to celebrate the sisters and attract shoppers. Festival-goers now come from across Melbourne, not just from around Camberwell.
Minogue super-fan Owen Lambourn travelled from Northcote to the event with his partner Matthew and their friends.
Lambourn, who has already streamed Kylie Minogue’s new album, Tension II, and has booked to see five of her concerts, in Melbourne and Sydney in February, said the festival was fun and joyous.
“It’s great to get together with other fans and celebrate the two sisters,” Lambourn said.
“It’s held where the girls grew up, and it’s kind of great to have a day dedicated to you. I’d be pretty chuffed about it.”
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