The long-awaited Flotsambury exhibition opening night rocked Geraldton on Saturday, with an event bursting with colour, music and laughter.

After opening at 6pm, Latitude Jewellers was quickly filled to the brim with keen onlookers as artists prepared to show off their colourful creations in this year’s Flotsam and Jetsam event.

Now in its 15th year, Flotsam and Jetsam founder and owner of Latitude Jewellers, Pia Boschetti, said she was absolutely blown away by the event turnout and artwork this year.

She said it highlighted the power and creativity of the local community.

Boschetti first started Flotsam and Jetsam to clean-up the beaches of the Abrolhos Islands, ridding them of rubbish and debris.

Almost two decades later, the recycling event has grown into something much more significant with the islands rid of most of their rubbish and locals left with a fantastic event, initiative and art.

With a line out the door and a 40-minute wait to get into the explosion of colour and music, this year’s exhibition theme proved to be a crowd favourite.

Guests were treated to a surprise performance combining local singers and guitarists to commemorate the Flotsambury theme, as well as speeches and addresses from Ms Boschetti, City of Greater Geraldton mayor Jerry Clune and Cr Peter Fiorenza.

Chance Sawyer, an artist in the exhibition, said he used art as a way of expression.

Sawyer’s support worker said it was amazing Geraldton had events such as Flotsam and Jetsam, as it gave up-and-coming artists like Sawyer a chance to flex their creativity and showcase their skills.

With hundreds of people pouring through the doors over the course of the night, the grand opening of Flotsambury was a rocking success.