FOR six decades the Ouyen Farmers’ Festival has been drawing crowds from near and far.
The event, steeped in history, has played an integral role in the local community, providing a social outlet for the farming community in the lead-up to harvest, while raising much-needed funds for the town’s hospital.
But Ouyen, with regret, bid farewell to the festival this week.
Mallee farmer Keith Erhardt has helped shape the event for 54 years.
He first became involved with the festival through his connections with the Young Farmers’ Club at the age of 22.
According to Mr Erhardt, the concept behind the festival was simple – “to raise money for the hospital while providing a social day for the community”.
While the festival has evolved over the years, it has continued to encapsulate elements of a country show, while celebrating Melbourne Cup Day.
“We’ve always had bookmakers at the site but we’ve never run a race,” Mr Erhardt said.
During his involvement with the event, he’s been president twice and missed only one festival.
“I was overseas at the time,” he said.
His love of the event has also been passed on through the generations.
On Tuesday, he was one of many community members to turn out in force to pay tribute to the event for the last time as it celebrated its 60th anniversary.
Attending the event alongside his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren, Mr Erhardt said it was disappointing to the see the festival fold.
“It’s raised a lot of money for the hospital over the years,” he said.
Reminiscing on times gone by, Mr Erhardt said there had been many highlights, including the display of bullock teams, aerobatic planes, skydivers, the Police Pipe Band and street procession.
However, ageing volunteers, the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing face of farming led the committee to make the challenging call, that this year would mark the end of an era for the festival.
“It’s getting harder and harder to keep it going,” Mr Erhardt said.
“We’re now harvesting earlier and there’s a lot of work involved in organising it.”
Ouyen Farmers’ Festival secretary Melissa Morrish said the last festival was bittersweet.
“This year’s event was very successful,” Ms Morrish said.
“The festival provides a great opportunity to have everyone come together as a community.”
While Ms Morrish said the committee had faced many challenges in recent years, she remained hopeful that the festival may be able to reinvent itself in the near future.
“It’s not just our little town, (change is) happening everywhere,” she said.
“It is sad and it’s hard to let go of something so good.
“But there’s been lots of discussion in the community after we announced that this would be the last one.”
