After 13 years, Northcote Rise is bringing back the long awaited High Street Festival, backed by the Victorian Government.

Member for Northcote Kat Theophanous MP today announced the Good Feels on the Rise Festival will take place on 18 February 2024, thanks to a $450,000 grant from the Victorian Government to the Northcote Business Association with the festival to be managed by local Northcote business, Perfect Events.

The theme for the family-friendly, all-ages festival is ‘Good Feels on the Rise’, and will feature local artists, outdoor dining, mini stages and stalls from Northcote’s finest local traders spread out along the famous Northcote Rise.

Funding will help Northcote Business Association cover the costs of running the large-scale event, including equipment hire, health and safety officers, permits, traffic management and other related fees.

The Victorian Government is helping revive street festivals in some of Melbourne’s key suburban retail precincts to revitalise shopping strips and boost local economies, with another festival in the iconic Chapel Street precinct slated to take place in early 2024. 

To further support business, the Victorian Government committed $17 million in the 2023-24 State Budget for multicultural traders and precincts, recognising their unique role in delivering for their local businesses and communities.

This includes funding to upgrade and revitalise business and cultural hubs in our multicultural precincts and grants to 10 peak multicultural traders’ associations to ensure their members have access to the services they need.

Quote attributable to Member for Northcote Kat Theophanous MP

“Northcote’s traders came to me with a vision for a festival that would bring people together, revive our local economy and showcase everything we love about our vibrant and eclectic High Street – we are so proud to back their exciting ideas and see this festival become a reality.”

Quote attributable to Northcote Rise President Andrew Mansfield

“Northcote traders and small businesses have been doing it really tough over these last couple of years, and it is just so fantastic to have this event to look forward to, to boost the spirits of the community and bring some energy and excitement back to the High Street strip.”