News

EARLY-BIRD stallholder applications for CARNIVAL DAY are NOW OPEN! Early-bird closes 30 June.

CARNIVAL DAY is Sat 12 Nov 2022, to be held in Queens Gardens – complete your online registration NOW to secure your site!

Want to host your own event as part of OUTintheOPEN Festival Shepparton (31 Oct – 13 Nov 2022)?

OUTintheOPEN is Shepparton’s festival celebrating LGBTIQA+ pride & community diversity. This year we’re celebrating 11 years!

OUTintheOPEN was developed to address some of the inequalities faced by the local gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer (GLBTIQ) & allied communities and to build a more inclusive community in Greater Shepparton. EVERYONE is welcome to get involved!

OUTintheOPEN is a project led by Goulburn Valley Pride Inc. and is proudly supported by many other organisations and community groups.

The festival will consist of many events including a health/well-being forum at GOTAFE in October and a CARNIVAL DAY on the second weekend in November at the Queens Gardens. Other events will be held during the week across the City of Greater Shepparton. This is where YOU come in!

We are looking for Community Groups, Organisations, Performers, Venues, Events & Artists…

How to get involved…

Please complete the expression of interest form – feel free to make contact with us first to discuss an event or idea. We look forward to hearing from you!

Alternatively, please submit your proposal via email (details below) along with a preferred image (high res.) for marketing purposes on our website. Additional background information is welcome.

For more info contact Damien Stevens-Todd on 0418 511 562 or enquiries@outintheopen.org.au

Goulburn Valley Pride is proud to announce the first meeting of the Out In The Open Working Group held at GOTAFE on Wednesday night was a great success.

Goulburn Valley Pride President Deb Chumbley said “ It was great to have an actual in person meeting and to see a passionate mix of old and new faces sharing ideas”.

Out In The Open, Shepparton’s annual Pride event showcasing and celebrating community diversity is this year scheduled for 31st October to November 13th with programming still in the early stages.

After being limited to mostly online events including a livestreamed carnival day for the past two years with COVID -19 and imposed restrictions the theme for this years festival is “Reimagined” and will see Carnival Day return with music, drag performers and sparkles to the Queens Gardens.

“I’m excited to re-imagine this year’s festival and be back out in the open,” said festival Co-convenor Georgina Poort.

Out In the Open Artistic Director Nicole Wells said, “It was a productive and inspiring meeting of passionate individuals, working as a team to bring our community together through inclusion and celebration”.

Out In The Open provides a safe and inclusive space for our regional LGBTIQA+ community to be their true selves. It provides visibility and representation.

Out in the Open attracts many visitors to the region boosting tourism and local spending.

For further information please contact Deb Chumbley 0429 523 772.

Celebrating 11 years over 2 weeks in 2022. Carnival Day will be Saturday 12 November. Stay tuned for more info…

Got an idea for #OitO2022? Contact us today!

OUTintheOPEN Festival is looking for YOU!

This year our Festival team is looking for enthusiastic people to join us for the 31st October – 13th November OUTintheOPEN Festival 11 year celebration!

The following positions will join our Festival Team:

Festival Co-Convenors (2)

Artistic Director (1)

Secretary & Admin. Support (1)

Treasurer & Governance (1)

Volunteer Coordinator (1)

Entertainment Coordinator/Stage Manager (1)

Social Media/Marketing Coordinator (1)

Fundraising & Promotions Assistant (1)

Festival Volunteers (20)

Click here to apply. Please contact us for a ‘position description’ and ‘expression of interest’ form – we look forward to hearing from you!

Find us on Facebook @ facebook.com/OUTintheOPENFestival

On behalf of all of us involved with OUTintheOPEN 2021 we would like to say a HUGE thank-you to everyone who attended, volunteered and supported the event this year!

We look forward to seeing you all again next year!!!!!

We want your feedback. Please take our short survey here.

OUTintheOPEN Festival 2021 is here! From October 28 through November 7, whether online or in person, you can celebrate with us no matter where you are! Our big event, Carnival Day, will be online this year on Saturday afternoon November 6…and it’s our 10th birthday! Join superstar drag co-hosts Frock Hudson and Pattie Choux as they bring local music, fun and frivolity to your screens while showcasing 10 years of OUTintheOPEN’s fondest memories ‘live’ online.

Numerous events fill the Festival calendar this year, starting off with a bang at GOTAFE! Our “Think About It? Did it!” launch is first up, where you will view portraits and read anecdotes of regional LGBTIQA+ elders experiences, as we celebrate and commemorate their joys and sorrows, acknowledging the 40 year anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Their full stories/podcasts will be shared on ONE FM 98.5’s Pride in Diversity radio show each Thursday night during the Festival.

Thorne Harbour Country, and Uniting’s Diversity Project in partnership with LINE Wangaratta will host a sexual health forum and an ‘LGBTIQA+ Regional Community of Practice’ professional development event with a focus on workplace inclusion journeys. The Val’s LGBTI Ageing & Aged Care team will be “Celebrating & talking LGBTIQA+ histories” and (20th century) impacts, exploring the community development/growth from social disapproval to overcoming adversity, celebrating the achievements we have made!

If you’re looking for some more in-person events, the BIG Milestone Café & Bistro Brunch will be offering two sessions on Sunday October 31, and the BIG Lemon Tree Brunch on Sunday November 7 offers the same. Perhaps you’d prefer an evening meal at our “Winner, Winner, Schnitz for Dinner” event on Wednesday November 3? Either way, we’d love to see some friendly faces.

“Many of our 30+ Festival events have been re-imagined ‘online’ which means no masks, stay in your pjs, sip a glass of wine or 2, and attend from your couch (or backyard picnic blanket)! From trivia nights to queer nature connections, family-friendly rainbow story time sessions to business networking, there’s something for everyone!” says Festival Co-Convenor, Damien Stevens-Todd. “Even with lockdowns and restrictions we have big plans to celebrate! Whether online for singalongs or in person at our art therapy sessions, you can celebrate with us wherever you are! Just don’t forget to jazz it up with all things rainbow, sparkle and shine; we want to see it all! Show us your pizazz – tag us on Instagram or Facebook!”

With less than 2 weeks to go we are so excited to see everyone get involved and “out in the open” – help us celebrate the last 10 years of what has been Greater Shepparton’s own OUTintheOPEN Festival celebrating LGBTIQA+ pride and community diversity in all it’s forms! Absolutely everyone welcome!

Visit www.outintheopen.org.au/events-2021/ to check out all the events or phone Georgina Poort (Co-Convenor) on 0401 168 229 for more information.