By Marcus Uhe
Friday 30 September saw families and the community in Doveton come together for the Celebrate Doveton festival.
Held at the Autumn Place Community Hub, the festival was run as a collaborative event between the Hub, Doveton Library, Doveton College, and the Doveton Neighbourhood Learning Centre.
Centre Manager at Doveton Neighbourhood Learning Centre Paula Correia, estimated that roughly 400 people attended the festival which was extremely well-received, based on feedback given.
“Today I was going through the surveys and we’ve not had any negative feedback from 135 responses,” Ms Correia said.
“The idea was for people to find out as much as they can, and what services are available in Doveton. We’re trying to connect groups and community and services together.”
Run during school holidays, kids were kept entertained with a Virtual Reality gaming exhibit, a reptile enclosure, an animal farm, and were spellbound by the roving magician.
Officers from the Endeavour Hills Police Station offered the opportunity to sit in a police car and the Cranbourne Lions kept everyone fed with a sausage sizzle.
The event had been held prior to Covid-19 but not as collaboration between the organisations.
Ms Correia said the success of the festival meant they will look to make it an annual event going forward.
“We wanted to offer something that was fun for whole family.
“I think we achieved that. It was fantastic.”
