The Rotary Club of Maffra Mardi Gras is all set to take place in 2024. Following the success of this year’s event, the committee is working hard to make sure it happens again next year on Saturday, March 16 – save the date!
The theme is ‘OUTER SPACE!’ Get your thinking caps on about the amazing floats you can make up, with planets and stars, astronauts, rockets, flying saucers and aliens, to name a few.
Mardi Gras literally means ‘Fat Tuesday’. It was a medieval festival before Lent, when people ate fatty foods to give them strength throughout their 40 days of fasting. It developed into a carnival, with costumes and floats, and is still popular in Europe.
The Maffra Mardi Gras is the longest running event in Wellington Shire. It started in 1957 when a group of Maffra businessmen wanted to raise money for the Maffra Hospital. That first year, they had ‘penny votes’. The winner was the person who received the most votes, and therefore the most pennies, with all proceeds going to the hospital. This was so successful that it was decided to continue the fundraiser the following year as the Maffra Mardi Gras.
One purpose of the Mardi Gras is to provide an opportunity for community groups throughout Wellington Shire to raise funds for their organisations.
Entrants have a six-week window immediately preceding March 16 in which to run their fund-raising activities. A small percentage of those funds goes to the Rotary Club of Maffra to further their work in the local community.
In the past, tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for community projects throughout the shire, with over $4 million raised overall. Last year part of the Mardi Gras funds was used to buy a freezer for the Maffra Neighbourhood House.
The second purpose of the Mardi Gras is to provide the Wellington Shire community with a family-friendly event.
There is a street parade with marching bands and floats, street and food stalls, Kids’ Corner, entertainment and a lot of fun!
Dress-ups in line with the theme are encouraged and vouchers will be handed out to the best costumes. Have fun with ‘OUTER SPACE’ as the next theme!
“The committee is now open to entries from any organisations that would like to be involved in order to raise funds for their projects,” Maffra Mardi Gras Committee Member, Claire Cochrane said.
Ms Cochrane said entrants will receive a lot of support with their fundraising, as well as publicity for their organisation. They will also receive a sash and flowers at the presentation on the day.
“There is no age limit, and men are welcome as well as women. The organisation must have its own public liability insurance,” she added.
“Being a Fundraising Entrant can be as much or as little work as you want to put into it and can be a lot of fun!”
Entry forms available from melissamafframardigras@gmail.com
Applications from stallholders are also welcome now, especially food and coffee stalls. The northern service lane in Johnson St, Maffra will have space for stalls to set up with parking on the grass verge. Please consider a stall with games, such as fishing games with magnets, spinning wheel games, etc.
For application forms contact kath@wideband.net.au
Expressions of interest from anyone wishing to enter a float can also be sent in, with entry
forms nearly ready to go. Any community organisation that has its own public liability insurance can enter a float. The Best Community Float, Best Overall Float and Best Business
Float will all receive trophies. Email maffrasecretary@rotary0920.org.au
On Saturday March 16 2024, Maffra Mardi Gras returns with a new theme: Outer Space!
