Deans Marsh Festival
The theme of the 2020 Deans Marsh Festival is Experience Our Hinterland and features a weekend of individual events wrapped around our iconic Deans Marsh Festival on Sunday 22nd of May.
The Experience Our Hinterland weekend provides the perfect opportunity to experience what makes our community unique and delve deeper into what our part of the hinterland has to offer and the amazing things our locals are creating, growing and making.
The heart of Deans Marsh will come alive with music, food, games, art and frivolity as our community celebrates all that we are, over three fun filled days!
DEANS MARSH FESTIVAL 2020
Experience Our Hinterland all Weekend
Friday 20th, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd March 2020
The Deans Marsh Festival acknowledges the traditional owners and Aboriginal custodians of Deans Marsh and District.
The Wathaurong lands, running north from Aireys Inlet, includes the Deans Marsh district towns of Boonah and Bambra.
Further to the south west, the Gadubanud are the custodians of the land that makes up most of the Deans Marsh district.
The DMCC recognises their continuing connection to their country and the wrongs visited upon them and the cultural heritage of this place.
We pay our respect to them, their culture, and to elders both past, present and emerging.
Footy Shed Arts Show Opening Night
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Friday 20th March, from 5.30pm
Nibbles and Wine
OPEN ALL WEEKEND
The Footy Shed Arts Show is a show case of Deans Marsh and District’s creative community.
Featuring local artists working across a variety of medium from textiles to ceramics and printing to photography, this exhibition will exhibit the creativity our community has to offer.
Come along on the opening night to see some fantastic art works, support local arts and kick off the festival weekend!
La Mama - Ladies of the Bay
Friday 20th March at 7pm
Deans Marsh Hall
Opening Night of the Deans Marsh Festival
A funny, vivacious, new show inspired by real stories from Aussie summer days where friends reminisce about the simpler times.
Nat, Tracy, Fiona and Naomi have grown up together in the Bay. They have gone through many life changes, but their enduring friendship carries on with their summer tradition – camping at the caravan park. Here, they gossip, tell it like it is and reveal secrets all over a cheeky glass at happy hour. But when tragedy strikes their town will these childhood friends be there for one another?
Ladies of the Bay will take you laughing and crying back to your own summers. Sometimes all we have are the memories.
Frogwood Arboretum Open Day
Saturday 21st March, 11am – 3pm
Frogwood Arboretum is located on 40 hectares of former farming land. Begun in 2007 the Arboretum now contains over 2500 trees from approximately 150 different species.
The focus of the Arboretum is to plant remarkable tree species of the world in groves of the same species. All the trees in the Arboretum are original species i.e; there are no cultivars.
The Arboretum also contains a number of features including; long avenues of trees, the “Ancestors Henge” the “Sacred Oak Grove” and 1km of the Deans Marsh creek which has been rehabilitated using contemporary best practice techniques.
Grow Make Gather
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd March
Grow Make Gather is a local project facilitating educational workshops and community events focused on sustainability, growing and preparing nourishing food. Inspiration for this project has come from a passion to gather community around local food, DIY skills and resilience.
Come down to the Grow Make Gather space and see what they are up to!
Beginners Composting 101 Workshop
Saturday 21st March 10am – 12pm at the Deans Marsh Community Cottage
Come and join us to learn some basic skills on composting. This will be a hands on workshop where we will explore worm farming and various composting methods.
Prepare to get your hands dirty!
Introduction to Sauerkraut and Fermented Vegetables
Saturday 21st March 2pm – 4pm at the Deans Marsh Community Cottage
Come and joins us to learn how to make sauerkraut and lacto fermented vegetables. A simple way to improve your gut health and preserve your excess veggies!
Otway Winery Tours
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Saturday 21st March 2020
Live Music – Vicki Gaye Philipp and Jeff Raglus @ Heroes Vineyard
Kick off that festival weekend and enjoy a relaxing day out, being chauffeur driven through the Otways, indulging in award winning wineries and local produce platters.
BLAKES ESTATE | DINNY GOONAN WINES | HEROES VINEYARD
Complimentary wine tastings and local produce platters
Tickets from $100 per person.
Pick-ups from 11am | Drop-offs from 3pm, locally, or enquire when booking.
Full payment required to secure booking.
Call Carlie 0n 0438 743 120 or email info@otwaywinerytours.com.au
Heroes Vineyard | Vicki Gaye Philipp and Jeff Raglus
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Saturday 21st March
Heroes Vineyard | 495 Murroon Road, Murroon
Open 11am – 5pm | Music 2pm – 4pm
Aireys Inlet locals Vicki Gaye Philipp and Jeff Raglus are bringing their eclectic indie/folk/rock duo Victoriana Gaye to the cellar door at Heroes Vineyard.
The entire range of Heroes wines are available to taste and purchase, as well as carefully sourced, seasonal produce, all in the beautiful Otway hinterland a few minutes drive from Deans Marsh.
Phone: 0490 345 149
Deans Marsh Festival Showcase Dinner
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Saturday 21st March, 6pm
Gentle Annie Berry Gardens and Cafe
Come on a gastronomic journey to experience our hinterland.
Let Gentle Annie’s Berry Gardens’ award winning chef, Sion Harwood delight your tastebuds with six courses with paired local wines, in a true paddock to plate dining experience.
Accompanied with the musical stylings of local duo The Pickers.
The Pickers | Modern/Classical Cello and Guitar Duo
Brendan and Louise Brown enjoy blending the unique voice of the Cello with the rhythm of guitar. Having played music in the Otways for 20 years, they entertain with their instrumental interpretations of Classics and Hits from the 60’s to today.
Places are limited, book your journey now. Bookings via Gentle Annie Berry Gardens and Café. Call: 52 36 3391
Working Dog Demonstrations
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd March
Jill Stewart, Deans Marsh local working dog trainer and breeder will be running Working Dog Demonstrations at The Deans Marsh Festival, on Sunday 22nd March (10.30am, 12 noon and 2.30pm) showcasing calm and stress free movement of sheep with well trained dogs. Questions about training and behaviour will be welcome on the day.
Jill Stewart, farmer, dog trainer and retired vet nurse, has been training dogs for 20 years and runs the family farm with her husband. She does all the mustering and sheep handling with her dogs. Jill has also coordinated the Deans Marsh Dog Trials for 10 years and does farm working dog displays at the trials.
Jill runs working dog training courses and does private training for anyone wanting to learn how to train their dogs for stock work.
Our Marj!
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd March
10.30am and 11am in The Hall
An exciting mini one woman theatre show, fusing drama with singing, bringing to life the incredibly inspiring story of one of our most colourful and talented local characters – international opera singer, Marjorie Lawrence. Brought to life by local singer/actor Wendy Grose.
Marjorie attributed her upbringing on the farm in Deans Marsh and Winchelsea for giving her the strength to survive in the operatic world, despite being struck down by polio at the peak of her soaring career.
Marjorie’s life is one of laughter, tragedy, adventure, courage, extreme determination and faith which engages the audience from start to finish.
About Wendy:
Bachelor of Music (Opera) | Studied in UK, London, France | 20 years international career in theatre, opera, television, concert and contemporary performance | Accomplished in singing, dancing, piano and 5 languages
Timeless Fibres
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd March
One of the memories from my childhood was seeing a few of these beautiful wedding gowns in cupboards and wardrobes of my family.
The dresses were tucked away, they are works of art from a different era, loaded with memory, stories and promise and nobody ever saw them.
This is a timeline of wedding gowns of some of the woman from this rural area, as well as those from a few from friends, they show the styles of the different eras and changes in fashion. Even the fabrics are part of the dresses’ story, the selection determined by what was easily available or what was fashionable.
I think the Deans Marsh Festival is the perfect place to display them, to bring them out of the closet and put on them on show.
Enjoy
Timeless Fibres
From: Belinda McKenzie
Krazy Koala Puppet Show and Bebop Circus Highwire Shows
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd March
Here to delight audiences with their catchy songs and Krazy Puppet dance moves, the Krazy Koala Puppet Show have recently returned from their UK tour, where the Puppets performed at many festivals, including Glastonbury. This show is fantastic for the entire family.
Krazy Koala Puppet Show
The Krazy Koala Puppet show combines catchy live music, slap stick comedy and charismatic puppets in a show which will delight the entire family. Performing their favourite songs including ‘Puppets Like To Party’ and ‘Life Much Better When We All Get Along’, the puppets are sure to make all the kids and most of the adults laugh. Come join in the fun.
Bebop Circus Highwire Shows
Nicholas will be walking the sky on a 3-meter-high tight wire. This high wire show captures the amazement and wonder as Nicholas walks the 16mm wire cable.
Roving Refills
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd March
Roving Refills was created in 2019 by two sisters, Claudine and Raphaelle, who had a passion for environmental protection and a growing concern at the amount of plastic packaging in the world. They started Roving Refills to provide people with locally made, eco-friendly alternatives to highly packaged products that have travelled many miles and are not waterways-safe.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Bring your own container and refill it with our products. Any size or shape is fine, but ensure you clean the container thoroughly before refilling (unless it has contained our products previously) to avoid cross-contamination.
If you are a business and want to reduce the amount of plastic waste you produce by allowing us to deliver our products to you in bulk and then taking back our containers to be reused, email: rovingrefillsotway@bigpond.com and we will send you a quote for this service.
Music at the Marsh Stage
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd March, from 11am
OTTA
Hailing from the Otways, dynamic duo Josh Rigg and Toby Johnson capture sounds and inspiration from the minds and landscapes around them. Emotive rhythmically driven melodies to take you away to other worlds.
Erik Parker
Erik Parker spends his days concocting and recording songs in his studio, in the Dandenong Ranges. His releases are self-produced, recorded and mixed at home. Erik often performs as a solo act, exploring a blend of soul, blues, dub and rock. The sound is tied together with live-looping, beat box, guitar, vocals and harmonica. His recent releases include a solo live-looping EP, and a series of singles featuring an ever-evolving session band.
The Ming Ming Gift Shop Band This trio interpret A capella and instrumental folk bangers from many traditions via the Maribyrnong Delta.
Alister Turrill
“Complete truth: Alister Turrill is the future of Australian Blues” – Beat Magazine
It would be a generalisation to group Alister Turrill with other young roots players. His playing style blends a true form of blues with complex songwriting seldom seen. Honest, Flawed, Gravel-Throated, Folkin’ Blues awaits.
PJ Holloway
Come drown yourself in reverb soaked indigo blue ballads and dreamy nightmares with PJ Holloway.
Friday Evening
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Friday Eve 20th March
5.30pm – Footy Shed Arts Show Opening
7pm – Ladies of the Bay, La Mama Theatre
In the Arena
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd of March
In the Arena
10am – Gates Open
10.30am – Working Dog Demo
11am – Puppet Show | Gumboot Toss
11.45am – Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremony
12noon – High Wire | Highball Toss |Working Dog Demo
12.30pm – Novelty Dog Events | Best Dressed Dog |Best Trick | Most Like Owner
1pm – High Wire | Small and Big Dog Races
1.30pm – Dog High Jump
2.15pm – The Deans Marsh Gift
2.30pm – Puppet Show | Working Dog Demo
3pm – High Wire
3.30pm – Sheaf Toss
Saturday
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Saturday 21st of March
11am – 3pm | Frogwood Arboretum Open Day
10am – Grow Make Gather ‘Beginners Composting 101 Workshop’
11am – Otway Winery Tours
2pm – Grow Make Gather ‘Introduction to Sauerkraut and Fermented Vegetables Workshop’
12.30pm – Music @ The Store
2pm – Heroes Vineyard | Vicki Gaye Philipp and Jeff Raglus
6pm – Deans Marsh Festival Showcase Dinner
In the Community Hall
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd of March
All day Red Cross Devonshire Teas
Timeless Fibres Exhibition
10.30am – Our Marj | Mini Play
11.30am – Our Marj | Mini Play
12.30pm – The Deans Marsh Singers
1.00pm – Line Dancing Demo and Join in
2.00pm – Line Dancing Demo and Join in
All Day Activities
Deans Marsh Festival 2020
Sunday 22nd of March
Pony Rides
Working Dog Demo
Footy Shed Arts Show
Timeless Fibres
Village Market
Krazy Koala Entertainment
Circus Space
Line Dancing
Heritage Machinery
Jumping Castle
Red Cross
Food and Wine
Thanks to Our Major Sponsors & Local Community Groups
The Deans Marsh Festival is a major community fundraiser we thank the following sponsors and community groups for their support and participation.
Sponsors: Surf Coast Shire | Great Ocean Road Health | Ace Radio 1134 3CS | Rhodes Veterinary Clinic | Swayn &McCabe | Colac Hire | Rhys Evans | Charles Stewart | Colac Herald
Local Community Groups: Deans Marsh CFA | Deans Marsh Primary School | East Otway Landcare | The Deans Marsh Cottage | The Deans Marsh Community Hall & Recreation Reserve Committee
Please support our Sponsors for this year’s Deans Marsh Festival CLICK ICONS FOR MORE SPONSOR INFORMATION
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Local Harvest
Great local produce from the Deans Marsh region.
Live Music
Enjoy a wide variety of performers.
Market Stalls
All sorts of craft-y, quirky, delicious, useful and produce-y stuff for you to browse and buy.
Please support our Sponsors for this year’s Deans Marsh Festival CLICK ICONS FOR MORE SPONSOR INFORMATION
Thank you for having Little Squirtz face painting at the Deans Marsh Festival. It was a very successful day for us and we will definitely be back again next year. I just wanted to thank you also for such a well organised event. As I attend quite a few, you guys did an awesome job. I also had a lot of the public comment on how much they were enjoying themselves.
Thanks to all of you at the Cottage and congratulations on running another great community event! Over the years I have found the main feedback from our festival goers has been the fantastic community atmosphere we generate and that didnt change this year. Well done.
We had a top day and much fun was had by all. Please feel free to clock us in for next year’s markets and festival, along with the Winter Solstice that you mentioned at the festival.
Thank you for a great market, it was amazingly organised and ran very smoothly.
Weather was good and my site was a good spot. So happy I could leave the car there behind my stall, thanks, it makes things a lot easier too. It is an enjoyable community feel festival and I will hope to come back in Sept and Nov
Thanks for having us on Sunday, it was such a lovely wholesome day and great for families.
Congratulations on a very well organised festival. We know that lots of work and volunteer hours go into an event such as this so please pass on our best wishes to everyone.
Just want to congratulate you all on what fantastic effort you all put in to make the festival a great one. Thank you so much for making our sites larger with plenty of room, even for our vehicles. A great day and financially rewarding.
GENERAL & MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Contact the Deans Marsh Community Cottage
phone 03 5236 3388
cottage@deansmarsh.org.au
STALL HOLDERS
Contact 03 5236 3388
cottage@deansmarsh.org.au
SPONSORSHIP
Contact 03 5236 3388
cottage@deansmarsh.org.au
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