Big weekend at Maydale
The launch of a new event and the return of a past favourite will have Horsham’s Maydale Reserve humming this weekend.
Charlie Dray, with support from her partner Lachlan Vider, will launch Drays Yard Market Horsham on Sunday afternoon. The new residents to the Wimmera hope it is the first of a monthly venture for a community of small businesses.
The market comes amid a packed calendar of events at the venue — including a Horsham Agricultural Society-hosted 150km Feast launch brunch on Friday morning, a ginblending masterclass and flowerbomb workshop on Saturday, preceding the sold-out 150km Feast on Saturday night.
The weekend concludes on Sunday with the market, which runs alongside a 150km Food Truck ’n Wine Feast Finale.
The collaboration will bring about 30 stallholders and thrifters to Maydale Reserve along with food trucks, live music and children’s play area.
Ms Dray spent her weekends at markets, promoting the family business, from 2019 to last year.
“My sister, mother and I founded Pomegranate Sisters and had a market stall for several years where we worked hard sewing night and day to get our business out there,” she said.
“When I moved to Horsham, I was constantly looking for a modern market where small businesses could come together with the support of the community.
“After many hours behind the scenes, I founded Drays Yard Markets.
“People can expect a range of stalls – from plants to art, accessories and more. We will also have food, live music and thrifting.
“But mainly, you will find a community coming together to support each other.”
Horsham Agricultural Society executive officer Andrea Cross, the 150km Feast founder, and her team have gathered people and produce from a 150-kilometre radius of Horsham for the fundraising event. It is in its third year.
It is a chance to celebrate food and wine from across the region – and draws people from across the state and beyond.
The feast has this year grown to become a three-day food and wine festival.
“Each year I like to see the 150km Feast hosted on different areas around the grounds at Maydale Reserve to show the community the versatility of the wide open spaces we are so fortunate to enjoy,” she said.
“In the back of my mind has been WOW Week – an event celebrated in the 1960s by the Horsham Ag Society to showcase wheat, oats and wool.
“While we aren’t going to duplicate the wonderful street parades they had back then, the dinner is certainly a reflection of the purpose held by the society.”
The 150km Feast contributed to the group’s highly commended award in the ‘community health and wellbeing category’ of the Keep Australia Beautiful, Australian Sustainable Communities Tidy Towns Awards in July last year.
The group went on to win the community social impact award at the ACE Radio Wimmera Business Awards in October.
People wanting more information can go to the Drays Yard Market Horsham or Horsham Agricultural Society Facebook pages.
People can book entry to the Sunday event via www.trybooking.com/ CFBEX