By Lachlan Ellis
A music festival run by Moorabool Shire Council has been voted among the best events from across the country this year, beating more than 20 other events in its category.
The Hide and Seek Music Festival, which ran from 25 June to 16 July in Blackwood, Gordon, Bacchus Marsh, and Ballan, was officially announced as the winner of the 2022 Creativity and Culture Award at the National Awards for Local Government, held on Thursday 13 October.
The free mid-winter music festival featured artists and venues across Moorabool Shire, with more than 200 artists performing at 20 venues. 27 other events were in the running for a Creativity and Culture Award, but it was the Hide and Seek Festival that finished with the most votes.
Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Tom Sullivan said the win was a great reward for the effort put in by Council’s Arts, Culture and Events Officer Bec Carey-Grieve, and everyone in Council who worked on putting the festival together.
“Congratulations to Council staff and everyone involved in making this festival a success – the musicians, the venues, the volunteers, those who attended- it was a fantastic event, and this award is very well-deserved,” Cr Sullivan said.
Ms Carey-Grieve said she was “beyond excited” to hear that the Hide and Seek Music Festival had won the award, which was a fantastic reward for the artists, volunteers, and Council staff who had worked hard to make it happen.
“This is a great recognition of Moorabool Shire’s hugely talented creative communities and the hard work of a small group of dedicated volunteers who put their blood, sweat, and tears into pulling the festival together,” Ms Carey-Grieve told the Moorabool News.
“The Hide and Seek Music Festival presented a rare opportunity to discover Moorabool Shire’s hidden gems, exploring new music and one-of-a-kind venues from sweets stores, antiques shops to our local pubs and public halls. The festival shone a light on Moorabool Shire’s distinctive townships and local creative talent.
“We hope to continue to work in partnership with our communities, artists, and businesses to deliver many events like these in the future.”
Moorabool Shire Council was one of only two Victorian councils to win an award at the annual National Awards for Local Government.
