By KATRINA BRANDON
MORWELL was full of celebration on Saturday, March 8, as the second year of Yourfest commenced at the Morwell Wooden Park.
Despite extreme weather conditions, hundreds of people joined the festivities, enjoying arts and crafts, music, performances, and animals.
Latrobe City Yallourn Ward Councillor, Steph Morgan was a special guest, and took the opportunity to acknowledge a number of efforts.
“It is such a pleasure to be here today with you all to celebrate the second Yourfest in beautiful Morwell,” she told the crowd.
“Creativity, community, and inclusion are a few things I’m very passionate about. As we can see here today, with this wonderful program of events, that’s exactly what Yourfest is all about.
“Yourfest is an opportunity for our community to connect and get creative through live music, arts, dance workshops, festival activities, and film. The festival program has been co-designed by kids and young people in Latrobe City through the Artists for Kids Culture and Artsbus. It aims to be an affordable and inclusive event for everybody.”
Yourfest is a free festival for young people in the community. It offers an afternoon of networking, activities, and music from local artists.
Multiple local groups, as well as local services and businesses, participated in the festival.
Groups and services present on the day included the local Fire Rescue Victoria unit, United Muslim Sisters of Latrobe Valley, Animals of Oz, Melbourne Starts Chenda, Gippsland Malayalee Community, Spac Ati-atihan Group, Morwell Gemstones Girl Guides, Headspace, Centre for Multicultural Youth, and more.
Attendees could draw, wool chill, read, write, feast on food provided by local providers, paint rocks and skateboards, and get up and close with reptiles and native animals throughout the afternoon.
Local musicians on the day included Yarram duo Ally Row, Gippsland’s alternative folk singer-songwriter Billie Spokes, and Khamis Mazae.
