Tuesday, 31 October 2023

 Kat THEOPHANOUS (Northcote) (13:52): I rise to congratulate the mega success of the biggest and best party a tramline has ever thrown, the mighty Eighty-Six music festival. Over the weekend the humble 86 tramline down High Street in Northcote, Thornbury and Preston became the epic staging ground for a marathon 22 hours of free gigs. The whole area reverberated with the sound of over 220 acts at more than 65 venues, an absolute triumph of inner-north creativity and artistry.

I was super excited to start the day opening the Howl-O-Ween dog show, where pups strutted their stuff on stage and vied for prizes, all hosted by the outstanding Myf Warhurst. For those who sought to feast on more than music, Joey Kellock and his team from Thornbury’s 1800 Lasagna put on an incredible street party, with local food, wine, beer and coffee. Meanwhile the independent music exchange bustled, with indie record labels offering their wares, and up and down High Street you could not miss the energy of our dedicated 86 party tram all day long with onboard musicians.

Seeing our suburbs pumping with life and revelry made my heart sing – gigs sold out, venues packed, the very best of live music in Melbourne. The inner north is a hotbed of creativity and talent. I am so incredibly proud of how our community came together to create something truly iconic and totally unique. I announced this festival last year. The Victorian Labor government funded it, and masterminds Woody McDonald and Johanna Greenway delivered it.