12 Weeks Out. Meet Jake.

Correct, you read that right - only 12 weeks until summer, sunshine, music, beach... St Kilda Festival time! This week we meet Jake.

Hi Jake, introduce yourself please

Hi, I’m Jake, the Festivals Administrator. My job’s varied; I’m responsible for a wide range of things – financial; raising purchase orders and keeping track of invoices, contracts, some programming, general office management … lots.

[Yes, Jake – is a very busy lad, always doing something.]

What are you up to at the moment?

At the moment I’m finishing off programming the Kidzone Stage and organising the street performers for Festival Sunday.

Ah,  great!

Yes, It’s been fun. I’ve never done something like this before and I’ve really enjoyed it. Everyone who applied to be on that stage and who I’ve programmed genuinely want to give something to the community, are excited to be involved and have fun with the kids.

Any programming secrets you can let us in on?

I’ve programmed a wide range of activities and performances for the area – everything from music to facepainting, art workshops and magicians. There’ll be kids performing for kids – bands and dancers – performing in front of their peers and also giving them the opportunity to reach the wider Festival audience and get exposure.

Oh and keep your eyes out for a 11,564 kilogram elephant and a pair of mischievous giant seagulls who may just try and steal your chips.

Noted.

Sounds ace, what else?

Ha! I’ve been listening to music I don’t usually listen to.

Yes, I heard “Butterfly on my toe” coming from your pc yesterday. Great tune.

I’ve also just started organising all the band and performers contracts. There’ll be about 250 I think, which will keep me occupied for the next couple of weeks.

And this is your first StKilda Festival isn’t it?

Yes, I’ve just moved from Shepparton and have never been before. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the people in St Kilda, there to have fun, watch and listen to music and experience everything else that’s going on at the Festival.

…I’m looking forward to Live N Local – to check out what the local community has to offer.

…All of it and everything.

Excellent, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you today Jake. You have yourself a happy Friday.

13 Weeks Out. Meet Daniel.

It’s getting really busy down at St Kilda Festival HQ. Most of our production team have started, they’ve posted their master plans up on the walls and are plotting where everything’s going to go, what time everything’s going to be bumped in and out.

We’re well and truly into making the Festival.

This week we meet Daniel.

Hi Daniel, introduce yourself please.

Yes, ok, I’m Daniel, Master of the Universe [humour] and also Producer of Yalukit Willam Ngargee Festival – the outdoor Indigenous festival that kicks off St Kilda Festival week. It’s held In O’Donnell Gardens and features music, dance, kids entertainment, market stalls and a whole lot more. Plus some satellite events – visual art exhibitions and a book launch.

I’ve actually just started this job (he’s been here a week) but worked on the Bless Your Black Arts Festival back in the early 2000’s, which then turned into Yalukit, so it’s great coming back.

What are you doing at the moment?

At the moment, I’m finishing off programming the main music day (Saturday 5 February), sorting out contracts and getting all my marketing information together. I’ve met with our designers this week and will start working on print materials – posters, programs etc soon.

Busy then?

Yes, very

And the YWN Production Manager starts in a couple of weeks; when we’ll really get into the planning the logistics of the day.

Any programming secrets you can let us in on?

The line up this year is very strong. We’ve got a lot of new and younger acts… some local, some interstate… hip hop, r ’n b, indie rock …

Oh, something I’m particularly looking forward to in the dance program – a troupe of ballroom dancing-waltzing elders and a twilight ceremony.

What’s your favourite colour?

Black… no green, can I say both? It changes

It’s not really that important… you’re busy and it's Friday.. I’ll go now.

14 Weeks Out. Meet Gabi.

It’s not all programming that’s going down at St Kilda Festival HQ at present.
Ever wondered who organises all the stalls, or how many icecreams are sold at the Festival?
You're about to find out. This week, we meet Gabi…

Hi Gabi, introduce yourself please:

Hi I’m Gabi, Festival Trader Liaison Coordinator. I work with the permanent St Kilda traders and Festival Sunday stallholders, organising the participation application process, issuing permits and then making sure they’re all happy on Festival Sunday.

What are you doing at the moment?

At the moment, permanent traders are applying to extend their footpath trading areas on Festival Sunday. The extra area has to be permitted by Council and they also apply for a special liquor license to cover it. I help them with both applications. We’ll submit all the liquor license applications on behalf of the traders very soon.

[There’s usually about 20 venues that decide to extend their trading = approx 1,000m2]

I spend a lot of time on the phone (as well as visiting the traders in person).

Aha – and what else?

Well, we also have applications open now for stallholders (food and market) wanting to have their stall at the festival. Again, I help them with their applications, permitting and then organise where their stalls will be located on Festival Sunday.

Sounds like you know a lot about permits?

Yes I do.

How many stalls are usually at the Festival?

There’s about 230 stall spaces altogether…

When I’m planning where they all go, I have to make sure there’s a good mixture of food and market stalls and that everyone’s got good spots.

About Festival Sunday:

I’ll be on site from when the stalls begin to be bumped in, making sure its all going smoothly, then throughout the day, I’ll make my way round the site, checking in on everyone to see that they’re all happy.

What time will you start in the morning?

About 5am – the stalls are bumped in from 6am.

What time will you finish?

Around 2am, when everyone’s left, the roads are open and the site’s back to being the St Kilda it is the other 364 days of the year, when the Festival’s not on.

That's a long day... a lot of ground to cover... and a lot of people to check in on.
You'll get to drive a golf buggy right... and have a walkie talkie?

Yes, I’ll have a buggy and a walkie talkie

and I’ll also have a folder

and a clipboard? Clipboards are good

hmm, maybe

oh, and a hat, I’ll be wearing a hat – it gets hot down there.

It's been fascinating speaking with you today Gabi.

Now give us some stats please:

• There are 1,350 square metres of stall marquees on site
• If all the trestle tables (in the stalls) were placed in a continuous line they would stretch to ½ a kilometre.
• The festival hires enough chairs (in the stalls) to seat 22 full size Orchestras

Throughout Festival Sunday the following are consumed from stallholders:

• 1,500 bags of ice
• 94,000 bottles of water
• 86,000 bottles of soft drink
• 1.5 tonnes of hot dogs
• 4 tonnes of chips
• 48,000 ice creams

Nice one, thanks. And it’s back to permits for Gabi.