By Tanya Steele
Tucked away on a little patch of green in Upwey, the community recently got together for a fun-filled live music afternoon for all ages.
Sunday Sounds kicked off its fourth consecutive free community event on 30 March, bringing together live music and collaboration for the community of Upwey and surrounds.
Hosted by the Upwey Community Group, President Jacqui Buckland said that once the weather calmed down on the day a steady stream of families began arriving to the parkland to enjoy the live performances scheduled.
“It’s a great day to connect with people and meet your neighbours,” she said.
“We’ve noticed since the first year that we’ve had more and more families coming through.”
Other local organisations were on board for the event, with Upwey Men’s Shed hosting a sausage sizzle and the Upwey CFA serving up shashlick BBQ and hot jam donuts. There was also the ever popular potato on a stick, a pop-up bar and more.
“We try and buy locally,” said Ms Buckland.
Funds raised from some of the stalls are always put forward towards the following year’s event and Sunday Sounds provide a great chance for local musical artists from beginner to professional to be paid for a live gig in the Hills.
“We try and always promote some young buskers and we try to have all Hills-based artists, some of whom are professional, some are amateur, and some are somewhere in between. It’s a great opportunity,” said Ms Buckland.
“This year we really mixed up the genres of music,” she said.
People danced and others lounged on chairs and picnic blankets while the music acts unfolded while live kids entertainers kept the kids and young at heart busy with bubbles, parachutes, bouncing balls, dancing, jumping around and face painting.
Local community radio station 3MDR donated all of the audio equipment in use and did some DJ’ing as well.
Performers on the day included Wolf Arrow Rain, Ryan Koch, Cam Walter Blues, and Loonee Tunes and the Mast Gully Fellers performed and helped out as well, they were spotted helping out everywhere, from stage to bar and in between.
Made possible by grant funding from the Yarra Ranges Council, Ms Buckland hopes the event will continue to grow every year and the Upwey Community Group is now busy looking into putting on more events later in the year for youth in Upwey.
“I’ve been really keen to get a youth project up and running and we are developing concepts at the moment,” she said.
