CresFest’s call out to host an artist

EVERYONE has heard of ‘How to Host a Murder! Well, now CresFest 2023 is giving people the opportunity to play how to host an artist.

Organisers of the three-day eclectic music and arts festival are seeking people within a 10-to-15-minute drive from Creswick who would like to host an artist for next year’s CresFest from 31 March to 2 April.

Pam Harris, hosting coordinator, said that ideally hosts would live within Creswick, but she is happy to receive expressions of interest from people further afield.

“Hosts have to be personable, have a spare bedroom and willing to provide breakfast. Other than that, there are no great expectations,” she said. “We are not expecting mansions!”

In return hosts receive a free pass to CresFest 2023, which has some outstanding blues and roots music artists lined up.

For the inaugural CresFest, held earlier this year, Traycie Walker, who had only just moved to Creswick thought hosting a musician would be a great way to become involved in the community, and she was proven right.

“I had the most amazing good fortune to host Enda Kenny and his partner,” Ms Walker said. “Enda loves cooking, and it was all hands on deck as he helped me cook on the Saturday night.”

Interested people can go to cresfest.com.au, follow the links to the ‘Get Involved’ page, and complete the hosting form.

Ms Harris will contact prospective hosts before the end of December to start to match hosts with performers.

In mid-February she’ll will then begin allocating artists to hosts.

“Artists are highly committed to what they are doing during the festival and most of the time they are away from the hosts, rehearsing, performing, or hanging out at one of the hotels in Creswick,” Ms Harris said.

– BY FIONA WATSON