Tides still flowing after 20 years of singing

POPULAR community choir Tides of Welcome marked its 20th year with songs of celebration in Queenscliff at the weekend.

Based in Queenscliffe Neighbourhood House, Tides of Welcome was led by Sarah Carroll in 2003 and was originally known as The Ripchords.

Since then, the “Tiders” have had enormous success with five choir directors (including incumbent director Wayne Jury) adding their own personal flavour to the songs performed at various events.

These have ranged from community gigs and annual performances at the Uniting Church and the Queenscliff Music Festival to wedding proposals and special festivals such as Mouth to Mountain.

Sunday’s concert at Uniting Church Queenscliff included two sets featuring Carroll and Jury, and a surprise performance from Ocean Grove singer/songwriter Andrea Robertson.

Borough of Queenscliffe mayor Isabelle Tolhurst was among the crowd, and said the borough was delighted to have supported the concert through its Community Grants 2023/24 program.

“This is a choir that seizes the delight of singing together, takes pride in the imperfect, and cherishes inclusion,” she wrote on Facebook.

She noted Queenscliff was “pumping” on Sunday afternoon as the Tides of Welcome performance happened at the same time as Come Together, an all-ages FReeZA gig at Queenscliff Town Hall hosted by the Queenscliff Music Festival.