Shepparton Festival

The Shepparton Festival will hold its 25th anniversary event next year in winter. Titled ‘Unify 2021’ it will be held across the Goulburn Valley from 11 to 27 June. The tagline ‘Unique events in unusual places’ has us all intrigued. Shepparton Festival general manager Louise Tremper says the festival committee is looking forward to delivering a safe and exciting festival in 2021. She said it aims to:

reignite the creativity that our region is so well known for and to giving a boost to our visitor economy.

The festival director, Jamie Lea, says she is very eager to get to work again, as the festival will reach new heights and go beyond expectations to deliver an outstanding experience. She said:

Unify is a call to action on so many levels and the perfect theme for a post-lockdown festival. We are all hungry for a festival, but before we know it, June will be here …

Being a winter festival, it will take advantage of the darkness of night and the magic of projection. The festival will have special input from Bill Kelly, the world-renowned artist, who will bring his creative and artistic skills to bear.

Each year we have been delighted by the venues used and the extraordinary performances that have been brought to our city, and next year will be no exception. The recent cash injection from the state government of $49 000 will be a great boost to the festival, taking it to the next level of professional development. I extend an invitation to our new Minister for Creative Industries, who is here in the chamber, to launch the Shepparton Festival and to formally open it.