A wild day at Illuminate the River 

What a day we had at Illuminate the River! Despite an early finish due to extreme weather, our hearts were full witnessing just how Illuminate the River brought our community together to celebrate resilience after what has been a challenging few years. 

Something for everyone 

Held on Saturday, 19 November in Aberfeldie, Illuminate the River was a day of music and fun activities for all ages. Kids (and grown-ups) danced to groovy tunes and it was a joy to see so many smiles. With three stages, carnival rides, food trucks and kids’ activities, the turnout was incredible, even with the rain. We were so pleased to see so many people attending the event, but ultimately the winds were too strong for the event to safely continue.  

Before the weather ended the fun, the crowd enjoyed performances by artists including Teeny Tiny Stevies, Mia Wray, Max Lawrence, Sly Withers and Something for Kate.  

Our community rocks! 

Although we were disappointed that the event could not continue into the evening, the safety of our community was priority and we are grateful to the outpouring of support from the local community who shared our disappointment. 

In the lead up to Illuminate the River, the October floods meant that adjustments had to be made to the event to make sure that it could go ahead safely. Illuminate was not only a celebration of music but also an acknowledgment of the flood’s impact on so many people in Moonee Valley. The event had a strong community focus, and it was heart-warming to see so many people join in and take time to enjoy themselves.  

We also promoted two fundraisers on the day, one for GIVIT for flood affected residents in Victoria to directly access the services and supplies they need, and another for our local Essendon SES unit who were on the ground helping with the floods.  

You can’t stop the music 

Arts and cultural events are an integral part of Moonee Valley and Illuminate the River showed just how important it is for people to be able to express themselves, be creative and connect with others. 

Illuminate was proudly delivered in partnership with Creative Victoria through the state government’s On The Road Again initiative. We look forward to future events knowing that the local community bring so much care and support for each other.