FOKIE Fridays are back at Odessa at Leaver\u2019s Hotel in Creswick.<\/p>\n
Run by the team behind folk and world music festival CresFest, this is the second year of the musical evenings which will take place once a month with different singers from near and far.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an idea that we came up with last year where every month from August to December we had a monthly opportunity for people to enjoy the kind of music we bring to CresFest, but during the year.\u201d Said CresFest convenor Judy Turner.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about keeping the music going and bringing great players to town and showcase our magnificent venue Leavers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dinner will be served from 6pm with the music on stage from 7.30pm.<\/p>\n
For the first Friday, Stella Savy, who\u2019s music is informed by her Seychelle Island heritage, will play at 8pm following a local supporting act.<\/p>\n
Geoffrey Williams, who has had a celebrated career with five albums on labels such as Atlantic Records and EMI, will close the evening.<\/p>\n
It is designed to provide an opportunity for the town to come together and participate in music.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople coming to town and moving to Creswick love to know that there\u2019s a wine bar with live music in a little tiny town, it\u2019s so great,\u201d said Ms Turner.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt also gives an opportunity for the local players to be supporting acts.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event will work to support CresFest\u2019s goal of supporting a lively local music scene in the town.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole goal behind CresFest is to build a culture of watching and participating in music,\u201d said Ms Turner.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to grow music from the ground up in the community and have concerts year-round which culminates in the festival.\u201d<\/p>\n
Support from Regional Arts Victoria with three small regional presenters\u2019 grants has allowed the CresFest teams to pay artists.<\/p>\n
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms Turner said it is important events like this return year-on-year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really hard in the post COVID era to keep things going but we\u2019ve got to keep offering up the music to people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPost COVID people have actually moved to regional towns, and they need to find a way to connect with their local community.\u201d<\/p>\n