It's nice and quiet in the suburbs, but sometimes it’s a little bit too quiet. Don’t you think? This is how the residents of Merlynston - a little pocket of North Coburg - felt in 2012. So they decided to put on an AMAZING free music festival to get everyone out of their houses. A group of neighbours who had been campaigning to reclaim a run-down local hall for gigs, film screenings and art exhibitions decided to go ahead - hall or no hall - and put on a show anyway.   
                                      
With a kick start of $1000 from a local Leader newspaper grant and a bit of media coverage the group soon attracted the attention of non-profit arts group Collaborative Cultures. Collaborative Cultures had a handy $15,000 in grant money and was looking for a place to run a festival.  In November 2012, the inaugural Merlynston Diverse Voices Festival took place in the community’s pretty patch of green (Bain Reserve) featuring a stellar line-up of acts from postcode 3058 and surrounds.

  
The non-profit event was run on the energy of local volunteers and attracted hundreds of people from Moreland and beyond throughout the day.

Maybe it was the haybale seating, the make-your-own-fabulous-hat-and-bring-it-along vibe or the resident-run barbecue where veggie burgers - weirdly - out-sold snags. Or quite possibly it was the eclectic line-up of energetic performers the day unearthed.
 Whatever it was, people are still talking about the first festival; they say things like, “It was the perfect size”, or, “It was so relaxed, I didn’t see my kids all day”. 

   

So, naturally, we’ve decided to do it all again. This year the Merlynston Diverse Voices Festival will be held on Sunday November 16th (2014) from 11.00am – 4.00pm. Updates about the festival will be posted on the Merlynston 3058  website or you can follow our Facebook page.

SO FAR FINANCIAL SUPPORT HAS COME FROM 
Moreland City Council “celebrating place” grant ($5000) to Collaborative Cultures
Victorian Multicultural Commission ($5000 grant to Collaborative Cultures) 
Local community fundraising ($2000 Merlynston Festival Committee)

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
This time around we need a bit of help from our neighbours, local businesses, friends and music-lovers. So far the Merlynston Festival committee have managed to tally $12,000 but another $3000+ would ensure we can put on an event of the calibre of 2012.

Your contribution will go towards: adding a second performance space to showcase a greater range of talent and
greening the event (the return of the fabulous composting loos and the renewable-energy fuelled sound system).
Donations above the $3,000 target would fund additional children’s activities to ensure even the very youngest can participate fully (and let their parents sit back and enjoy the music).

Get involved! Be a part of it! Help make it the best festival this community has ever had!  We are looking forward to seeing you there – The Merlynston Diverse Voices Festival organising committee.

The Merlynston Diverse Voices Festival committee are more than happy to answer any questions the residents of Merlynston may have about fundraising. Please feel free to approach Jane Holroyd, Andrew Alves, Diana Furness, Susy Macqueen, Rohan Chandran, Gabrielle Castree, Fern Smith and David Seignior.

The only obstacle to our success will be if the people of Merlynston do not come along and enjoy themselves on Sunday November 16th (11am-4pm). Please spread the word about our music festival. We are in the process of signing up our major acts, and there will be plenty to see and do on the day including several craft and plant stalls, perfect heading into Christmas time.