GOOMFEST, an outdoor music festival in Wangoom, is one of seven new events to receive funding from Moyne Shire Council’s (MSC) annual Festival and Event fund.

MSC approved $110,000 in funding at their council meeting last week to be distributed to support 29 events planned right across the Moyne shire for the coming year.

Other new events funded this year have included Koroit’s New Year’s Eve celebration, the Macarthur Shoot and Dash, Peterborough Paddle, Panmure’s Anzac Day commemoration, Switch off for Shearwaters in Port Fairy and a native grassland workshop in Woorndoo.

Moyne Shire Mayor councillor, Ian Smith said it was a diverse mix of events the MSC were pleased to support.

“The number of applications to this fund really highlights the huge amount of variety we have on offer across the year,” Cr Smith said.

“We are very pleased to support these community-led events with this funding and we encourage people to attend as many as they can,” he said.

“From annual favourites like the Lake School of Celtic Music, Song and Dance, Koroit Irish Festival and the Mortlake Christmas Carols, through to newer events like the Peterborough Paddle and Macarthur Shoot and Dash, it’s great to be able to support event organisers who work so hard to put on these events which add to the vibrancy of the shire.”

Cr Smith said while funding requests were well over the amount available from the fund, some funding was provided to all who met the program’s criteria.

“The Festival and Events Fund, along with our Community Assistance Fund and Business Facade Improvement Fund are cornerstones in supporting our communities right across the shire,” he said.

“We recognise and support the valuable contributions that community organisations and local businesses make through putting on local festivals and events.”

Cr Smith said despite the total funding requests being over the allocated budget amount - all those who applied had received a level of funding support.