2012 Oakleigh Music Festival - Colour, Celebrations, Culture

Warrawee Park

Friday, 24 February 2012

Fabulous food, family fun and community events will see the City of Monash buzzing with energy and sounds from cafes, parks and the streets from 8 - 18 March 2012.

Some of Australia's finest bands will entertain audiences including My Friend the Chocolate Cake, Skipping Girl Vinegar, local hip-hop sensation Diafrix, BONJAH (fresh from their Big Day Out gigs) and Sheila's of the Seventies featuring Rebecca Barnard, Kerri Simpson and Monique Brumby plus the Oakleigh City Band on Festival Day, Sunday 18 March

Monash Mayor Stefanie Perri said "Oakleigh is a great community - strong, connected, diverse and rich in culture, and the Oakleigh Music Festival is another way in which we can enjoy and celebrate all that makes our community special".

"Our program offers audiences a glimpse of the amazing artistic life in suburban Oakleigh with a line up of events that sees performances by the smallest community group along-side some of Australia's best musicians," Cr Perri said.

Oakleigh Music Festival Day on Sunday, 18 March, from 12 - 6pm, is a free community celebration in the picturesque Warrawee Park. The day will feature a fantastic combination of music, song, dance .... and then there's the food!

The Flavours of Monash stage will entice palettes of every persuasion with a feast of cooking from local community groups.

Jalisco and Tequila, Chuchu Club, Ethiopia Group, Kariatides Oakleigh Greek Women's Group, Calabrisella Senior Citizens, South Sudanese Family Foundation, Indian Senior Citizens Association, Indonesian Club Melbourne and the Kingston Chinese Senior Citizens will be cooking up a storm on the stage with traditional recipes. Continuing the music theme, each group will be performing traditional dances over the afternoon.

The Neos Kosmos Hellenic Lounge, in the heart of Oakleigh, will be the place for dessert, traditional Greek coffee and a program of Greek entertainment programmed by Manasis.

Cr Perri said the Festival was a "great family day out, with something for everyone, including a very entertaining Kid's Zone that will have activities for children throughout the day".

Other Festival events:

From Thursday 8th March Oakleigh will come alive with music events at local venues from highlighting the wealth of local talent and diversity of the cultural life in Monash.

Some of the events include: local icons Manasis who will perform their show Rembetiko, while the haunting sounds of the Veena and traditional Indian song, organised by the Tamil Senior Citizens, will take audiences on a musical journey through India. Aspiring musicians looking to showcase their talent can get along to Annexe Arts for an opportunity to perform in a professional setting.

And for those who like their music to go with some moves in the morning, then the free Zumba class at Warrawee Park is the place to be. For the tiny tots, Oakleigh Library will hold a Musical Storytime with Valanga Kohza,

As part of the Festival, the Caravan Music Club will present their Carnival of Suburbia program of music at the Oakleigh RSL. Kicked off by RRR's JVG and his "Stopping all stations except East Richmond" show on Thursday, 8 March, the ten day festival within a festival features an astonishing line up of international and local artists including Wagons and Judy Collins.

The Oakleigh Music Festival is proudly sponsored by Leader Community Newspapers, Neos Kosmos Atticus Designs, Flavours of Monash, National Australia Bank Oakleigh, LJ Hooker Oakleigh, IBIS Hotel Glen Waverley.

The Carnival of Suburbia is sponsored by Casella Wines and Bendigo Bank

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Last updated: 24 February 2012

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