Chillout festival to light up daylesford

As thousands of visitors get set to flock to Daylesford this Labour Day long weekend to celebrate diversity at ChillOut Festival, State Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas announced the Andrews Labor Government’s ongoing support of the event, with a grant of $150,000 over three years.

Chill Out is Australia’s number one Queer Country Pride festival, the largest festival in Hepburn Shire and an iconic event for Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges region.

2017 will mark the twentieth anniversary of ChillOut, showcasing gay and lesbian arts and culture with sporting and other events.

Chill Out Festival Director Merryn Tinker said that the support was an incredible opportunity for Chill Out to be able to plan for a sustainable future.

"It will help us to achieve our five year goals, as well as look at the advocacy and support that we can give our community in regional Victoria. We’ll also be looking to extending the festival and putting on other events throughout the year, which will be excellent for local tourism."

Locals and visitors will get to enjoy dance parties, parades, food and wine offerings, comedy shows and other live music and entertainment at this year’s festival.

Our $20 million Regional Events Fund is helping rural and regional communities all over Victoria stage and secure the events that drive visitation and showcase the best of everything the regions offer.

Regional Victoria has something for everyone, and we want everyone to experience it for themselves.

ChillOut Festival will run over the Labour Day weekend from 9 to 13 March 2017. For more information visit http://www.chilloutfestival.com.au/.



Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas
"I am enormously proud that the largest regional LGBTI celebration is held right here in Daylesford, and I am thrilled to announce this support for the next three years, to make sure it stays right here."

"Our community is enriched by the ChillOut festival, not only through the diversity that it promotes, but it also attracts thousands of visitors to our region, helping keep our bars, restaurants and hotels busy."