The final instalment of the Boogie music festival has been nominated as one of this year’s best regional festivals at the Music Victoria Awards.
The Boogie music festival brought thousands of music lovers to Our Friends Farm in Tallarook for Easter weekends of entertainment every year since 2007.
Organisers decided to ‘call it a day’ due to the unsuitable planning permit regulations placed on Our Friends Farm by Mitchell Shire Council.
But the legacy of Boogie has a chance to live on with a Music Victoria Award to its name, this year nominated in the Best Regional Festival category.
Highlights of this year’s festival included veteran Japanese rockers Guitar Wolf’s high-energy performance including stage dives, and the return of Boogie favourite Boxwars, where people dressed up and battled in cardboard costumes.
Our Friends Farm owner Tanya El-Gamal said a win would be ‘a nice way to celebrate what an incredible event Boogie delivered year after year in Tallarook’.
“There are some really good festivals nominated so its going to be a tough one to win but to come out of all the challenges we’ve faced with that bit of recognition as being seen as one of the best regional festivals is massive” she said.
“I find it very ironic how [Mitchell Shire Council] are pushing for more tourism and events in the area but pushed away what is recognised as one of the best family-friendly festivals in Victoria playing country music and kids activities, simply due to council’s constant changing of the goal posts and lack of support and understanding of the benefits music, art and culture events bring to small communities.
“It’s such an amazing asset for not just the community here but the whole region. The Boogie community come from all over to have a good time, enjoying quality live bands with their friends and families.
“It’s nice to be celebrated for it by Music Victoria and celebrate it with our Boogie family as well.
“The organisers are some of the highest regarded in the industry. Working with the Boogie crew is always a highlight for me.”
Ms El-Gamal confirmed the team at Our Friends Farm remained excited to host other music events at the venue, continuing to work with some of the organisers from the Boogie festival and welcoming new event organisers to collaborate on new festivals at the site.
“There’s so many more exciting new plans being developed at Our Friends Farm Tallarook and we’re working with a lot of other organisers too, so it’s going to broaden the offerings a little bit more,” she said.
“It won’t just be the one show a year – we’ll be filling all the dates, permitted on the permits. Next up we have the Aura Music and Arts festival coming up over the Melbourne Cup long weekend.”
Nominees were determined by a Music Victoria judging panel, but the winner is decided by a public vote.
Other nominees in the Best Regional Festival category include Esoteric Festival in Donald, OK Motels in Charlton, Port Fairy Folk Festival and Winter Sounds in Daylesford.
People can vote by visiting .
Public voting closes at 12pm on Friday, October 13.
Winners will be announced at an award ceremony on October 31.
