By NICOLE VALICEK
After running for 34 years funding cuts force…
THE Williamstown Summer Festival is set to end abruptly after funding vital to its survival was cut.
Festival president Geoff Vine said there were several reasons why the festival, which had run in the community for the past 34 years, was in danger of ending.
Mr Vine said the lack of funding, sponsorship and manpower were the main reasons for calling off the festival.
He said Hobsons Bay City Council, which was a major monetary contributor, has since changed its funding structure which meant they had to compete for a maximum of $10,000.
“Obviously, it costs a lot more than that to put on an event that normally goes over two days,” Mr Vine said.
Mr Vine said another alarming factor was lack-lustre enthusiasm among the community for the event.
“The relevance for the festival in the community has dropped off a bit.”
“The festival has been going for 30 years, along the way there used to be a lot of events under the umbrella of the festival like the literary festival, the arts show. Now they’ve gone their own ways, doing their own things.”
He said in the past the festival attracted a crowd of up to 20,000 at the Commonwealth Reserve site and brought the community, traders and school groups together.
“To the community, it’s meant to be an event where they can celebrate as a community.”
Mr Vine said the committee of five needed to know if the community wanted the festival to keep going and was staging a public meeting to garner support.
“We want to get as many people along to see whether they’re willing to commit to helping either financially or as a volunteer or anything.”
“If there’s lack of support, obviously we’re not going to be able to do it because we can’t do it ourselves.”
Mr Vine said the festival had been struggling for the past five years and it was now at a standstill.
“We want the festival to go ahead in what shape and form that will be determined by the amount of support we get from the community, whether we go ahead or not and how much funding we can get.”
Hobsons Bay City Council did not comment before Star’s deadline.The public meeting to determine the festival’s future will be held at the Williamstown Town Hall on Monday 28 October 7pm.
RSVP to Geoff on 0408 189 295 or at Geoff.vine@icloud.com
