Sunbury StreetLife Festival avoids the chop

It was cancelled because it became too much for too few to organise. Now, this popular Sunbury festival, which attracts crowds of up to 10,000, has been revived thanks to 14 people stepping up and making a difference.

Sunbury StreetLife committee members are delighted the festival is back on. Picture:Rob Leeson

One of Sunbury’s biggest festivals has been revived, thanks to the hard work of passionate community members.

The StreetLife Festival, established to show off local businesses, has brought thousands of people to O’Shanassy and Brook streets each November for the past six years.

As reported in the Leader in March, StreetLife organisers Hannah Liddle and Sharyn Snook cancelled the 2019 event because the workload was too great, with just four people on the festival committee.

Ms Snook said the community had rallied since the cancellation, with 14 more people putting their hands up to be part of the new committee, meaning the event would be held again this year.

“The new committee members didn’t want to have the ‘what if’ in the back of their minds. What if we didn’t do it and we could’ve pulled it off?” she said.

“We have 14 new committee members, which is really exciting, and another 10 people who have joined the corporation in membership to volunteer on the day.”

Ms Snook said plenty of local businesses had put their hands up to help out.

“The business community in Sunbury is always really generous in supporting events,” she said.

The festival attracts between 8000 and 10,000 people every year, second only to the massively popular SunFest each March.

New committee member and Sunbury business owner Denise Pilkington said she’d seen how much work was put into StreetLife every year, and didn’t want to lose it.

“We couldn’t let it die. It had to continue. It’s such a good deal for Sunbury,” Mrs Pilkington said.

MORE: SUNBURY STREETLIFE FESTIVAL CANCELLED

ROMSEY COMEDIAN TOM GLEESON GOES HARD FOR GOLD LOGIE

QUEEN MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO SUNBURY

“People tell me they come over every year. It’s not Sunbury, it’s the surrounding suburbs as well.

“It brings people into Sunbury and shows them what a great town we are.”

Mrs Pilkington said the community was thrilled to see the event return.

“Everyone is so pleased to have it back, across the board,” she said.