Feasting on the festival

The students of Nossal High will be celebrating the cultural diversity of the Berwick region at the first South East Feast. 172511 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Rebecca Skilton

Celebrating the cultural diversity of the Casey region, Nossal High School has teamed up with Berwick Rotary Club in order to celebrate the first ever South East Feast on Saturday 16 September.
In what was envisaged to become an eagerly anticipated annual community event, the South East Feast will combine and celebrate the authentic cuisine and entertainment from a range of cultural groups that make up the thriving Berwick community.
The event will feature locally produced gourmet products, craft beers and wines, as well as a number of entertainment options including multicultural cooking demonstrations, performance artists, buskers and stage performances.
Principal Roger Page promised the day will have something for everyone.
“We’ll have three stages running throughout the day,” he said.
“The large performance stage will be surrounded by food trucks and gourmet food sales areas.
“People can watch performances from a range of local community, school and cultural bands and we also hope to run some lessons so people can have a go at cultural cooking and dancing.
“There will also be a petting zoo, face painting and amusement rides for the little kids.”
With an entry fee of only $5 per adult and child over 12 or $10 for a family, 50 per cent of the funds raised from the South East Feast will go to youth mental health programs in the South East.
“We are keen to support local charities and very conscience about youth mental health being a major cause of concern in our young people,” Mr Page said.
“We like the notion of supporting a local charity that isn’t a high profile one.
“We hope to target a different charity each year and support local groups that are doing good work that don’t’ always get recognition.”
Mr Page said the location provided on-site parking and easy access from the Berwick railway station or the Monash Freeway.
He encouraged community members to head down and experience what is sure to be a festival to remember.
“We have room to accommodate lots of people with plenty of parking on site,” Mr Page said.
“We hope it becomes a big annual event and are hoping we have a wide variety of people coming from the local area and beyond. Invite all the family and friends, the more the merrier.”
The South East Feast will be held at Nossal High School, 100 Clyde Road, Berwick, on Saturday 16 September and will run from 10am to 4pm.
To find out more, visit nossalhs.vic.edu.au or find the school’s event page on Facebook by searching for ‘South East Feast 2017.’