By YASEMIN TALAT
THE popular Sunshine Festival will be back this March – but not as you know it.
The annual event will undergo a change this year with the introduction of a new format focused on dance and music and will be called ‘MaDE in Brimbank’.
Brimbank City Council’s community well-being director Neil Whiteside said the event would run in sync with Cultural Diversity Week.
“There is a strong council and community effort going into the organisation of this event, in line with council’s commitment to building community capacity,” Mr Whiteside said.
“A MaDE Community Advisory Group has been established which is seeking the active involvement and feedback of the 12 community members in the program and promotion.”
Local traders will also get behind the event with an array of food stalls on the day.
The event is part of council’s initiative to support a wider range of community festivals and events to ensure better community connectivity.
“Over the 2014 year Brimbank City Council is actively supporting a wider range of festivals and events than ever before, ensuring there will be even more for the community to enjoy,” Mr Whiteside said.
“This support is part of council’s strong commitment to facilitating community celebrations,” he said.
Brimbank Council has allocated $83,415 from the 2013/14 Community Grants Program to be used specifically as Festival and Event Support Grants.
These grants are used to provide support for community groups who wish to hold their own festivals or events and also provide funding for council-organised events.
“In 2014 and onward, the council is supporting community-based events to further enhance them rather than events just organised by the council itself,” Mr Whiteside said.
The MaDE in Brimbank music and dance event will be held in Sunshine on 23 March between noon and 8pm.
