By SAT News Desk
MELBOURNE, 19 May 2020: In its 38th year, the Victorian Seniors Festival is returning in a new digital format streamed directly into the homes of more than one-million Victorian seniors.
Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Luke Donnellan today officially launched the Victorian Seniors Festival Reimagined to ensure Victoria continues to celebrate and keep our seniors’ community connected.
Due to the current coronavirus restrictions, the annual celebration of older Victorians has been transformed, with the month-long Festival turned into a six-month virtual party. The reimagined theme highlights that our Victorian seniors can still thrive despite the pandemic.
In its new format the Victorian Seniors Festival Reimagined delivers three broadcasts each week, all showcasing some of Australia’s biggest and best talent, along with stories recognizing and celebrating seniors across the State.
Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Luke Donnellan says, “The Victorian Seniors Festival is an important part of Victoria’s social calendar, and it’s great to see it will continue as something for older Victorians to enjoy during this uncertain time.”
“We wanted to ensure the reimagined festival had a mixture of activities and broadcasts for everyone to enjoy and by extending the festival to six months we’re keeping people connected for longer.”
With broadcasts of online events and activities, seniors will be treated to music, stand-up comedy, Bollywood dancing, and more – all from the comfort of their own homes. This year’s festival theme, ‘In the groove’, is a call for all older Victorians to embrace the new opportunities the Festival has to offer.
The virtual Festival will run right through to October and is hosted by Tristan Meecham and Bec Reid, founders of All The Queens Men, and frequent partners of the Victorian Seniors Festival.
The Victorian Government provided $5.45 million to address social isolation and keep senior Victorians connected as part of the $59.4 million packages it recently announced to support mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic.
For more information about virtual events and activities, visit seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/festivalsandawards.
