Hello Sunshine: Organisers confirm 2024 return for Caribbean Gardens festival

It drew thousands of music fans and families to a much loved market site, but is the Hello Sunshine festival set to be a regular summer event in the outer east?

Amy Shark headlined the Hello Sunshine Festival, which drew thousands of fans to Scoresby's Caribbean Gardens on February 11, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Organisers of the Hello Sunshine festival have confirmed a 2024 return for the family friendly event after a hugely successful debut at Caribbean Gardens on the weekend.

More than 11,000 tickets were issued for the February 11 festival, with a peak attendance of about 8000 people enjoying music from Amy Shark, The Cat Empire, former red Wiggle Murray Cook, Pierce Brothers and 360.

Plenty of families, including up to 3000 children, also enjoyed rides, food trucks, market stalls and other carnival entertainment.

Amy Shark rocks Caribbean Gardens in Scoresby at the inaugural Hello Sunshine Festival. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Original Red Wiggle Murray Cook was a fan favourite as he made his festival DJ-ing debut at the Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby on February 11, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Festival director Keiran Dole, of Lucky Entertainment, said organisers were thrilled with the response and were already working on a similar line-up to take the festival to the next level in 2024.

“To see everyone have a great time with the festival is really exciting for us and exactly what we wanted to achieve,” he said.

“We met the target, we were really happy with the attendance and we look forward to coming back next year.”

Mr Dole said police were pleased with crowd behaviour and there was no major incidents, except for a person flying an unauthorised drone, which delayed the end-of-night fireworks display by 15 minutes.

He paid tribute to the Spooner family and staff at Caribbean Gardens for supporting their vision for the event.

“I have a young family, I was born and raised in Knox, and for us to put on an event that had so many families attend was a really high point in my career,” he said.

“We know this area is such an amazing area and we didn’t want people to travel to the Yarra Valley or Mornington, we wanted to achieve to achieve an event in our backyard for families in this area.

Caribbean Gardens was home to a famous longrunning market which began in the 1970s and closed in July 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It remains home to a business park, the Hyatt Place hotel and the Caribbean Rollerama, and a future masterplan is being developed for the 500 acre site.

Here’s a gallery of pictures Leader took of fans and the artists at the festival – see if you can spot yourself or someone you know.

The Pierce Brothers backstage at the Hello Sunshine Festival at Caribbean Gardens.

Rapper 360 at the Hello Sunshine festival in Scoresby on February 11, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Amy Shark headlined the Hello Sunshine Festival at Caribbean Gardens in Scoresby.

Cassie, Miranda and Bonnie on the barrier for Amy Shark at Hello Sunshine Festival at Caribbean Gardens.

Berwick mates Amy Jacobs, Kayla Macfarlane and Lucy Vogels had a sweet day at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.

Moe’s Simon and Amy and Belgrave’s Jij and Tony Eatwell hang out at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.

Wollongong mates Keelan, Hope and Cody at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.

The Pierce Brothers were a big hit at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby on February 11, 2023.

The Jawbreakers spin the decks between sets at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.

Murray Cook, of The Wiggles fame, DJ-ing at the Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby on February 11, 2023. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Festivalgoers on the Midnight Madness ride at Hello Sunshine Festival at Caribbean Gardens in Scoresby.

Punters on the teacups ride at Hello Sunshine festival at Caribbean Gardens.

Thousands of fans from across Victoria and interstate attended the Hello Sunshine Festival at Caribbean Gardens on February 11, 2023.

Oakleigh East’s Heather and Campbell McGown at Hello Sunshine Festival.

Carnegie’s Jenny and Melissa Spencer at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.

Cranbourne’s Philip Armstrong and Frankston’s Jake Anderson at Hello Sunshine festival in Scoresby.

Bendigo’s Elissa Meggs and Geelong’s Ethan Paech at Hello Sunshine Festival at Caribbean Gardens.

St Kilda’s Nicole and Sam Potter with Sam’s daughter Charlotte, 9, at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.

Knox mates Kate, Sarah, Lori, Newy, Freddy and Sarge kick back at Hello Sunshine Festival.

Mornington Peninsula friends Brooke, Shaunee, Alice and Scott at Hello Sunshine Festival at Caribbean Gardens.

Yarra Valley mates Breannan Stock, Ilana Reese, Steph Bollaart and Shaye Lane-Ritchie at Hello Sunshine Festival in Scoresby.