Wedderburn Naturally New Age Festival

Published on 14 October 2016

MELBOURNE jazz and blues performer Diana Wolfe will be a star attraction when the monthly Wedderburn Farmers’ Market links up with the town’s fourth annual Naturally New Age Festival for one vibrant day.

Planned for Sunday 30 October at the Wedderburn Community Centre from 9am to 3pm, the day marks the close of this year’s “Naturally Loddon” Spring Festival, an eight-week program of events showcasing the natural attractions of the region.

This year’s schedule has also included the popular Kooyoora Wildflower Show, a social day at John and Sonia Piccoli’s sculpture gardens, a wetlands bus tour, vintage fair, historic machinery rally, the Terrick Terrick National Park activities weekend, two local festivals and Boort’s annual metal sculpture competition.

Diana Wolfe’s singing career started in Canberra during the 1990s with cabaret and blues bands.

Returning to Melbourne in 1994, she has since appeared with other performers at music festivals, New Year’s Eve celebrations and pubs, clubs and functions throughout Victoria.

An initiative of the Wedderburn Community House, the New Age event will combine the customary fresh fruit and vegetables, preserves, nuts, eucalyptus oil, sauces, wines, honey, plants, olive oils, live poultry and art and craft of the market with the festival’s eclectic mix of candles, crystals, massages, wood carvings, psychics and alternative healing.

Community house coordinator Jude Raftis said festival stallholder numbers had climbed from 12 to close to 60 since the event began in 2013.

“To my knowledge, there’s nothing like this event anywhere else in Victoria, so people come from right across the state,” Mrs Raftis said.

“Loddon Shire Council has provided some sponsorship for the festival and we’re most grateful for that.

“Craft and produce offerings at our Farmers’ Market are also increasing all the time, with one particular highlight being an artisan baker who’s started coming across from Shepparton.

“He’s been a real drawcard and sells out his bread each time.

“Crowd numbers have remained solid and the market has become sustainable, with Wedderburn Lions Club often helping out with the barbecue and the local CWA now running a regular stall.”

For more details, phone 5494 3489 or visit www.loddon.vic.gov.au