Sunbury StreetLife returns

Sunbury StreetLife supporter and photographer Fiona Handbury, Sunbury StreetLife committee members Natalie Harrison, Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Deller, and supporters Dianne Moon, Adrian Sacco and Racheal Heath. (Damjan Janevski). 444711_01

Sunbury StreetLife festival is returning after a five-year hiatus, promising another day of entertainment, activities, and support to small local businesses and charities.

Set for Sunday, December 1, the festival will again celebrate Sunbury’s local small businesses, history, and community.

Sunbury StreetLife committee president Sharyn Snook said the festival aims to promote local organisations and remind people of “why Sunbury is great.’

“We have some of the most beautiful history, we’re the gateway to one of the most beautiful parts of Victoria,” Ms Snook said.

“It’s just a little bit overlooked … but we have amazing local businesses and we want to keep it that way … we want people to appreciate Sunbury as much as possible.”

The festival includes plenty of free children’s activities, with this year’s program including badgemaking, face painting, a petting zoo, and a play area provided by the Sunbury Toy Library.

There will also be a wide range of music performances from pipe bands, a drum group, buskers, dancers, bands, and a choir.

As a volunteer-run event, she said that the festival’s hiatus was partially due to the covid lockdowns and having limited volunteers available.

This year, the event will raise money for the Salvation Army Christmas appeal to assist youth, and to the Sunbury Community Soccer Club, which aims to provide free and low-cost sport opportunities to local families.

Ms Snook said organising Sunbury StreetLife festival is a team effort, and “ultimately, it’s about the committee and what everyone brings.”

This year’s committee members also include Natalie Harrison, Jesse Ramsay, Shalini Mehta, and Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Deller.

The festival will run from 10am–4pm on Sunday, December 1, across O’Shanassy and Brook streets in Sunbury.

Details: sunburystreetlife.org.au/

Oscar Parry