The Philanthropic Collective (TPC) has announced its famous Halloween on the Green (HOTG) event will not be running in 2023.
HOTG was started in 2017, as a way to create a central gathering point in the Dandenong Ranges for children to celebrate the spooky occasion in October each year.
The event sees costume clad patrons and entertainers visit Ferny Creek Reserve to raise funds for local schools.
In an online statement, the Philanthropic Collective said it was “very sad to announce” that price rises for insurance premiums, critical infrastructure hire, and “quadrupling“ venue costs – coupled with unsuccessful applications to secure partnerships – had put the “final nail” in the coffin of the popular community event this year.
“Each year, this hill’s charity returns to the same well-trodden pathways of reinventing this much-loved event, cap-in-hand, to raise the significant capital required to host,” TPC’s statement read.
“Each year, an astronomical amount of work and planning is done behind the scenes, by volunteers as they await with bated breath for the weather gods to be kind so that they can bring a magical day of fun and frivolity to the hills and community and support raising funds.”
Event director Andrew Fillip-Gautier said Halloween on the Green is “many things for many people”.
“We must never lose sight of our core value proposition of hosting an event where all hills’ children have a child safe pathway to inclusion. No child is left behind due to financial constraints,” Mr Fillip-Gautier said.
“We don’t know of any event which offers the amount of free entertainment and deliberate low-price points for nutritious community food offerings for a nominal entry fee. “
HOTG entertainment director, Rosalind MacKay said each year, the Philanthropic Collective offers all schools and community-based organisation on the mountain the opportunity to self-fundraise while offering each group free family entry passes for families which would struggle with the entry fee.
“It is never about money for us,” Ms MacKay said.
Mr Fillip-Gautier said 2022 saw the organisation pull together a “triumphant” return, built on community good will after the lockdown periods.
“Sometimes with the best of intentions inadvertent poor decision making by stakeholders creates an adverse far-reaching ripple effect,” he said.
“The challenge we face is to bring key stakeholder groups along with us with a broader understanding of what we know can be achieved when we work collegiately.”
The Philanthropic Collective’s statement said group members will work hard to draw the necessary elements together to see HotG continue into the future.
“As they are unable to raise the much-needed funds for their Free Food Program due to the cancellation of HotG23, the funds earmarked to run the event will be redistributed to the Free Food Program,“ the statement continued.
“TPC [is] very much looking forward to inviting the community to join in their celebrations in 2024.“
Those wishing to bring some magic to life in the hills next year by sponsoring HotG in 2024 by sponsoring the festival is invited to connect with the Philanthropic Collective via the charity’s website at www.philanthropic.org.au
