Albany sustainable community festival to nurture green skills

Albany Town Square will be a hive of environmentally friendly fun next weekend when the Green Skills Sustainable Community Festival returns.

The square will be packed with local producers, street food, market stalls, music and plenty of child-friendly activities.

In partnership with the City of Albany, the festivities will start from 4pm next Friday for an evening market and will continue from 9am-8pm on Saturday.

The festival was originally scheduled as a one-day event on March 21.

But as COVID-19 restrictions were ramped up, it became one of Albany’s first public events to be cancelled.

Green Skills Inc Albany manager Anne Sparrow urged the community to show their support for local producers next week.

“We are hoping the festival brings the community out again to connect, while keeping social distancing in mind, with their local crafters, artisans and food vendors,” she said.

“Spring is here and we want to activate the town centre with music and activity for all ages.

“You don’t need buckets of money to keep kids entertained.”

There will be plenty of opportunities to pick up a sustainable new skill with workshops on nut-milk making, waste management, weeding, weaving, decluttering and permaculture.

Ms Sparrow said the COVID-19 pandemic had inspired a home gardening boom. “COVID-19 got people into veggie gardens again,” she said.

“Come and learn about upcoming workshops to manage your harvest glut.”