By Callum Ludwig
A throwback for supporters of the Koha Community Cafe is coming up, with the much-loved Music Festival Fundraiser making a return.
Eight years since the last edition, the event is both a fun day for all and a crucial fundraiser for the cafe to help continue its weekly community meals.
Suyin Chan and Michelle Fisher of the Koha Community Cafe said in the past, they have organised a few large fundraisers for Koha to raise funds to keep the cafe going and to continue to provide for our community.
“We were reliant on donations and small grants which did not cover the running costs,” they said.
“With the cost of living causing increasing financial stress on people, our donations, like so many charities are going down,”
“The music fundraisers were the brainchild of Michelle Fisher and Lily Hellicar who were able to bring together a huge amount of bands, businesses and individuals who generously donated their time, talent or goods for our music events and our mega raffle, to help us raise funds.”
Held from 4pm to 10pm, each band or artist will perform an hour-long set with the lineup featuring Szara Fox and the Midnight Secrets, Tim Ireland and The Captain, The Idle Idolisers, Beez Neez, Starvation Creek, TOIL and Bluffy.
Ms Chan and Ms Fisher said attendees will be treated to a plethora of much-loved local bands. “These bands have a long history of bringing the community together to dance and just connect with each other, we haven’t had an event like this, where local bands come together for a fundraiser in Warburton since Covid,” they said.
“Then we have the famous Mega raffle, this is a raffle with a difference and we have a huge array of prizes donated by businesses and local artists, there are vouchers, artwork, plants, gourmet food, handcrafts and even a guitar,”
As we draw the tickets, if your number comes up, you go up to the prize-laden table and choose whatever prize you want, it’s kind of hard not to win a prize.
The event will be held on Saturday 17 August.
Ms Chan and Ms Fisher said during the event, Koha will be doing what it does best by putting on a delicious spread of food, with curry, cake, chai and mulled wine on the menu.
“In the tradition of Koha café, it’s not just about feeding people but also bringing the community together,” they said.
“We believe that this is why past Koha music festivals have been so successful, everyone has a soft spot for Koha Café, it’s been a staple in this community for nearly 15 years and what better way to bring the community together than good food, good music and a dance,”
“The Koha music festival has always been popular because it brings everyone together, all different ages and reminds us how important community is.”
Tickets can be purchased at the Koha community meals on Thursday nights between 6pm and 8pm or online at trybooking.com/events/landing/1248582.
