THE Golden Gateway Festival is approaching and the 2019 festival king has been named.
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Local Ray White Ararat real estate agent and director Philip Clark will be crowned at the Gala Ball on October 18, and preside over the festival with the chosen queen.
Read more: Festival to light up Ararat
The list detailing Mr Clark's community work is longer than any real estate listing, clearly demonstrating why he is a worthy choice.
Some of that includes: finance director of the Chalambar Golf Club Board, Blue Ribbon Foundation - Grampians Ride to Remember, former treasurer of Ararat Regional Business Association, Jack and Jill Kindergarten, St Mary's Parents and Friends and Ararat Over 30s Basketball.
He also currently employs 12 people and sponsors over 50 community organisations and events annually.
His volunteering has also taken an unexpected turn toward the performing arts, with daughter Samantha and wife Leanne both involved in them.
"I never thought I'd be involved in ballet and musical theatre but my wife ran a ballet school and my daughter was a ballerina; she was at the time the youngest person to be accepted into the Australian Ballet School at age seven," Mr Clark said.
Mr Clark called his nomination "a privilege and an honour".
"Because my wife Leanne was a festival queen, my daughter Samantha was a festival queen, my son Brandon was a very young festival Prince and my wife's father Brian was also previously a festival king, I feel I needed to step up and follow the family tradition once asked to perform this role," he said.
"The festival has a great history and tradition in our local community. A very small committee of volunteers work tirelessly to put on a diverse range of events that can be enjoyed throughout our municipality.
"It is about fun and community so I am looking forward to getting into the spirit, and encourage others to have some fun in our Golden Gateway Festival this year. Enjoy."
The festival will run across October 18 - 27 inclusive.
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