Inglewood Alive Sunday 6 November

Published on 02 November 2016

Buy a coffee made on a motorcycle sidecar, try a 1950s-style milk shake or tuck into some juicy smoked ribs.

Those will be just three of the boundless choices open to visitors at “Inglewood Alive” on 6 November, the annual festival which fills the main street of this Goldfields town with sound and colour.

Now in its fifth year, “Inglewood Alive” is organised by a group of local community members, headed this year by Faye Orange.

New this time is a parade spanning four decades of vintage fashion, plus a busking competition with cash prizes.

Other features of the program slated to return include a woodchop demonstration from the Wimmera Axemen’s Association, live music, children’s activities, stationary engines, market stalls, town garage sales and a lively mix of food vendors and collectables stores.

Melbourne-based Crank Coffee sells its wares from a machine mounted on a sidecar attached to a 1979 500cc Yamaha motorbike, while a brightly decorated vintage caravan dispenses milk shakes and other classic fare.

There’ll also be a trader from Malmsbury, offering American spare ribs and pork cooked with a smoker.

Organising group member Carey Imms said she was expecting a large roll-up of classic cars and motorcycles this year, thanks to the involvement of motoring enthusiast James Clee, of Inglewood Aged Beef.

“We had about 30 turn up last year, but I’d expect much of the main street would be filled this time,” she said.

“We’ve changed the date away from December in the hope of avoiding another very hot day and to switch to a Sunday.

“This event is huge for the town in terms of injecting money into the local community, encouraging return visitors and lifting residents’ spirits.”

Mr Clee said he was expecting to see car and bike enthusiasts arriving from all over Victoria for a social day and display.

“I’m told we’ll have members of the Volkswagen, Valiant, Chrysler and Morris-Minor car clubs, as well as 170 riders from a Harley-Davidson club in Melbourne,” he said.

“The Japanese owners’ club, Boundary Riders and Historic Motorcycle Club, all from Bendigo, plan to come, along with a British bike club from Mildura.

“It’s only a guess, but I’d say we’ll see 2000-odd visitors coming with the cars and bikes alone – and next year is bound to be bigger again.”

“Inglewood Alive” starts at 9am with the garage sales opening up, running through until late afternoon.

For further details, phone Faye Orange on 0458 722 566 or the Loddon Visitor Information Centre on 5494 3489.