If it’s community spirit you want to see, all you have to do is attend the Mount Evelyn Street Party!  I have to admit that I have not frequented many community events in the past, so I had no idea what to expect. Whatever my expectations were, they were well and truly exceeded when I dropped into the Mount Evelyn Street Party.

This biannual event brings the community together. Wray Street was bursting with stalls, games and entertainment. Wandering through the Vintage car display to the crooning of local bands set the scene for the festival. The 1950’s theme was strong with hay bales scattered around the main stage; rockabilly chicks wandered the street and Rock N Roll dance demonstrations were scheduled throughout the day.  

We were not able to stay long but it was easy to see that this was a great family event with train rides, outdoor games, chess competitions, sweet treats and the list goes on.  Fairy floss was the accessory of the day for the junior attendees.  My son’s shirt-pulling reflex was strong and Mum’s patience was definitely tried throughout our visit.

I was really excited to see so many locals coming together to support the Mount Evelyn Street Party. Surrounded by the tourist attractions of the Yarra Valley region, Mount Evelyn is a small town that is sometimes overlooked and forgotten about; this festival puts the community-minded town on the map. It’s a great way for people to gather, shop locally and appreciate the beauty of small.

I long for the days when every town had a weekly market — when the week’s shopping list was ticked off with locally grown produce, when gifts were bought from the market to support home-grown talent, when families looked forward to that one day of the week where they could meet in the town centre and taste the flavour of the community.  The Mount Evelyn Street Party was a celebration of community spirit.