Federation Chamber | STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS | Hughes Electorate: Oyster Bay Art and Craft Festival
Transcript
Date: 31 July 2023
Ms WARE (Hughes) (16:33): I recently had the opportunity to open the Oyster Bay Art and Craft Festival in my electorate. This festival is a local icon, a cornerstone of the Oyster Bay community and a favourite throughout the whole electorate of Hughes. This year the festival celebrated an important anniversary—its 50th year of operation. The Oyster Bay Art and Craft Festival attracts thousands of visitors, artists and stallholders each year with a common goal: to raise money for the wonderful Oyster Bay Public School. Oyster Bay's dance group opened the day's events and provided fabulous entertainment, and there were doughnuts spread throughout—enough to please every single school student who was present for the day.
This year, more than 180 works were showcased and dozens of handmade items were for sale, mostly from local craft vendors. I particularly thank the Oyster Bay P&C, led by President Janelle Reynolds, who said it's the wonderful support of parents and the Oyster Bay community that has helped build the event into what it is today. Since its inception, thousands of dollars have been raised as a result of this highly successful fundraising event. It's purchased state-of-the-art classroom furniture and learning resources, and it also allows the school to refurbish outdoor areas, including with the creation of a beautiful nature playground.