By Abbey Cannan
A Noosa festival that has spent years raising money for disabled community programs will not be going ahead in 2023.
While thanking the major sponsors, event organiser Oz Bayldon is encouraging the community to get behind their local groups and donate what they can.
Last year the Noosa Come Together Festival attracted thousands and had grown to include three separate live music stages, specialty food trucks and market stalls, an epic kids’ field, and Noosa biggest laser show.
“Last year was huge. It was a massive festival, but we raised bugger all,” Oz said.
“The amount of effort that we put into that, versus the amount of ‘giving back’ that we’re giving, makes it hard. We have three major sponsors but that’s not enough to cover the event. We’re all doing this voluntarily and I have to look at our priorities. I’ve got charity events coming up in the Amazon and in Nepal, and that’s where my focus is at the moment.”
After hearing that Noosa Sailability was struggling to fund its sailing program for children and people with disabilities, a group of enthusiasts joined together to raise funds to ensure it would continue on the Noosa River, and the Noosa Come Together Festival- was born.
Since 2017, the annual event has brought the community together to enjoy live music from experienced musicians and showcase emerging local artists, while raising money for several disabled community programs.
Ineligible for Noosa Council Grants due to its fundraising aspect, the event runs annually with thanks to its sponsors, in-kind services from local businesses and donations for its online auction, musicians, and members of the community who volunteer their time and talents.
Unfortunately, due to increasing production costs, rising insurance premiums and limited sponsorship, the festival will not be going ahead in 2023.
Noosa resident Bob Birkhead said the general community doesn’t understand the importance of this festival.
“I don’t think Noosa can afford to lose an event like this. It’s all about giving back,” Bob said.
“A community is a body of people who get together to try and make people’s lives better, and this bloke [Oz] does it all the time.”
Founder of The Active Community and Events4GreaterGood, Oz has a heartfelt focus on consistently raising money and awareness for numerous causes and charities, with music as the consistent theme.
Along with organising various music festivals and charity events, Oz also claimed the title for The Guinness Book of Records Longest Gig in London in 2005, World’s Coldest Gig in Mt Snowdon, and currently holds the world record for The World’s Highest Gig achieved in 2005 and 2014, with plans to make and break new records such as The World’s Longest Gig and The World’s Craziest Gig in the near future.
“Please donate to our local disability groups, and if anyone wants to get onboard with the festival next year, many hands make light work,” Oz said.
“If people would like to volunteer or sponsor the festival, please get in touch.”
Donate through events4greatergood.org
To sponsor or volunteer at next year’s Noosa Come Together Festival, email Cheryl Neylan from Events 4 Greater Good Events at cheryl.neylan@e4gg.com
The Noosa Come Together Festival team would like to thank their 2022 sponsors and in-kind contributors.
2022 sponsors: Laguna Real Estate, Coast2Coast Earthmoving, RJS Accounting Services, and PRS CAre.
In-kind contributors: Renaissance Funk, Hamburger Music Productions, My IT Shop Noosa, Mode Screenprints, Parer and Co Design, Event X
Noosa Graphica, Kennards Hire, Cleanaway, Hot 91, CS and CO Consulting, Events4GreaterGood, and Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club.
