By Bonny Burrows
The committee behind Pakenham’s beloved Yakkerboo Festival is seeking fresh faces to keep the decades-long tradition alive.
The Yakkerboo Festival committee’s numbers have dwindled in recent times as its members age and seek to retire.
Its remaining volunteers are hoping some younger blood will inject new life and ideas into the float festival, now 41 years old.
Committee member Naomi Horsley said the only requirement to join was a love of Pakenham and the local community.
Ms Horsley has been a volunteer on the committee for the past two years, and the new mother spent this year’s successful festival with a two-month-old baby strapped to her front.
“It I can do it, anyone can do it,” she said.
Members are required to attend a monthly meeting, which “is really not a lot”, according to Ms Horsley, and the benefits are tenfold.
“To see the amount of people come through during the day is probably the best part. It’s definitely rewarding knowing you’re a part of big-scale event like this,” Ms Horsley said.
“It’s a pretty well-oiled machine which sets itself up in a lot of ways but it is big event.”
Joining the Yakkerboo committee was a great way for the shire’s youth to engage with their local community, while obtaining experience in event management, Ms Horsley said.
She believes the future of the festival is in the hands of the next generation.
“We still at the heart want to keep it the way it is, but new ideas, new faces are always great,” Ms Horsley said.
“I’d love to see it run for another 41 years, and some fresh ideas would be very good.”
Those interested in going to Yakkerboo Festival committee can phone president Ron Woodfine on 0408 543 003.
