About Us
Below find a brief history of Maldon Folk Festival, our mission statement, list of committee members, and a listing of our sponsors and supporters.
Brief History - Then Till Now...
The Maldon Folk Festival was established by a small group of local performers in 1974 as a gathering for musicians – somewhere for them to meet, play & showcase their many talents. The aim of the festival was to bring folk music to the people – to relax, entertain & be entertained.
As the popularity of the annual festival grew so did the festival itself. Assistance was sought from the local community; an official committee was formed & steadily the festival evolved into a much sought after event by both performers & patrons.
In the early nineties, the festival began to take on a higher profile & the number & scope of both venues & performers grew. Significant changes occurred in infrastructure, improved advertising & greater community involvement.
Today the festival offers four days of entertainment in over 20 venues & features up to 300 individual performers. Musical genres covered range from folk to blues, gospel to acapella, country to contemporary.
Maldon Folk Festival continues to be a low-cost, friendly festival, run by volunteers, with entry to all venues covered by a weekend ticket. Any profit made by the Festival is channelled back into Community organisations and projects. Our basic principles remain the same, but from those very humble beginnings the festival has evolved into a unique, exciting, culturally diverse, family oriented event that is enormously popular with music lovers Australia wide.
Mission Statement
- To establish the Maldon Folk Festival as an integral part of Victoria's tourist attractions whilst maintaining the high standard of musicians, involvement and family atmosphere previously enjoyed. Both professional and non-professional performers participate.
- To be the highlight in the yearly calendar of Maldon, Australia's first Notable Town.
- To expose the audience to new music and little known artists.
- To foster the development of Australian and Multicultural Traditional music.
- To make the entertainment affordable for family participation.
- To facilitate the involvement of visitors in music/dance etc. through workshops, dances and interactive folk music.
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The Committee
The committee is comprised of a group of volunteers dedicated to organising the yearly festival.
Committee Members:
Lynda Bullen – Festival Director/Performance Administration;
Mike Ruggles - Music Director;
Robyn Thomas - Financial Controller;
Ross Lamport - Civil Works Coordinator;
Pam Lyons - Accommodation Coordinator;
Sponsors & Supporters
Thank you to all of our sponsors for your continued support. Thanks also to the diverse group of supporters who provide sponsorship in many ways – including local businesses, community groups, clubs and individuals who are so generous with infrastructure, facilities and their valuable time.
Also special thanks to our ‘unofficial’ committee members -
Andrew Bullen (Infrastructure), Peter Hyde (Instrument Makers Exhibition), Wendy Ealey (Roddy Read Songwriting Contest), David Miller & Lyn Kirby (Maldon Minstrel Award Contest), Brian Rhule (Festival Photographer) and Ray & Robert Leach (CD Sales).
Mount Alexander Shire Council
www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au |
Guinness ®
www.guinness.com.au |
Graaf Community Internet
www.gcom.net.au |
Bald Hill Music Studio - Mark Woods Audio Services - Carisbrook, Victoria |
InstrAmental Music Centre
www.instramental.com.au |
Tanglewood Guitarswww.guitar.com.au |
RADIO Ten-71am – Central Victoria,
98.3fm - Bendigo
www.easymix.com.au |
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