Source : Perth Now news
East Fremantle has announced a new draft events strategy after the iconic George Street Festival was abruptly cancelled last year due to increasing costs.
The new strategy will cover all events within the town until 2031, focusing on connecting the community, maintaining financial and environmental sustainability and fostering good partnerships.
An annual events plan and calendar will be approved by council each financial year, allowing the town to review and adapt rather than be locked into one single, large event.
Mayor Tony Natale said the new strategy had been developed after the “difficult” decision to pause the George Street Festival last year.
“Since then, we’ve been through an extensive consultation process, and to understand what was working well, and where we could improve,” he said.
The festival began in the 1990s, drawing crowds of up to 17,000 people to celebrate local businesses alongisde music, food and family-friendly activities.
It was indefinitely paused last year due to rising costs, inconsistent sponsorships and the town facing difficulty in meeting community expectations.
The new draft events strategy will focus on a more structured and sustainable approach, delivering a diverse program of smaller events driven by partnerships.
It will focus on activating more locations across the town, including East Fremantle Community Park, the George Street precinct and the foreshore.
“Through this strategy, we’re setting a clear direction for events that reflect East Freo’s identity, activate our places, and strengthen our sense of belonging,” Mr Natale said. “We know how much the community loved East Fremantle’s George Street Festival and that it will be missed. However, we’re embracing new ideas and adopting an inclusive and place-based approach that makes the most of the East Fremantle Community Park, our historic George Street precinct, and our stunning foreshore.
“This approach is consistent with community feedback which supported trying smaller, more frequent events across multiple locations.”
Residents can submit feedback on the draft strategy through the town’s website until July 6.
