Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas today announced Winter Sounds, Chillout Festival and the Woodend Winter Arts Festival have all been successful recipients from the state government’s $20 million Regional Events Fund.
Ms Thomas said, “Chillout, Winter Sounds and the Woodend Winter Arts Festival will be fantastic events that are set to bring more visitors to the Macedon Ranges and Hepburn Shires, providing a boost to local businesses and jobs.”
Chillout will use their Regional Events Fund contributions to support the largest and longest running LGBTIQ+ Festival in regional Australia.
Winter Sounds will use their Regional Events Fund contributions to support a four-day series of performances by Australian musicians taking place in unique heritage spaces. The Woodend Winter Arts Festival will use their funding to support high-calibre artists across Macedon with forty events over the June 2023 long weekend.
All of these events will raise the profile of Daylesford and Macedon Ranges as a visitor destination.
The $20 million Regional Events Fund is a critical component of the $633 million Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan and supports festivals, sports events, creative exhibitions and other cultural celebrations.
The Regional Events Fund drives economic benefits to Victoria by increasing visitor numbers and length of stay, thereby boosting spending in regional areas and supporting local jobs.
Since 2016, the Government’s Regional Events Fund has funded more than 300 events across the state.