South Melbourne will come alive on Saturday May 6, for an all-day Big BBQ Street Party as one of Victoria’s oldest and most popular institutions celebrates its 150th anniversary.
Cecil Street will be closed for the Big BBQ, featuring non-stop entertainment, every type of barbequed food imaginable, ice-cream and sweets, and a bar – all served between 10am and 10pm from pop-up stalls, carts and food trucks set-up on the street.
Adding to party mood will be a myriad of free family-friendly activities, including face painting, a jumping castle and giant games such as Connect Four, Jenga and Chess, and – of course – an enormous birthday cake made by Market traders!
Tightly woven into the fabric of South Melbourne and its surrounds, the Market opened in May 1867 and has been serving the community every since. It is owned and operated by the City of Port Phillip. “South Melbourne Market is Melbourne’s oldest permanent market and there is a lot of nostalgia around our 150th birthday among the traders, market shoppers and the community,” Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss said. “The Big BBQ Street Party is about celebrating this huge milestone together and also gives us a chance to look ahead to an even brighter future for the Market.”
As well as a place of employment and commerce, South Melbourne Market is the quintessential village market where people come to meet, eat, drink, shop, discover, share and connect. It is central to the culture, heritage and place of the community it serves.
People travel far and wide to the Market to buy fresh food sourced from local producers. Mixed amongst all the amazing fresh produce, shoppers will find artisans and designers and stalls offering unique, hard-to-find goods, such as clothing, accessories and jewellery, vintage and collectibles, artisan wares and artworks. There is great coffee, specialty teas, a vibrant restaurant precinct and a variety of street food.
The 150th Birthday Big BBQ Street Party is one of many events being held in 2017 to mark the anniversary, including an exhibition featuring memorabilia and memories collected over 150 years; heritage tours and street art.
Paul Millet, 86, the famed “Maglia Man” and popular trader at South Melbourne Market for 53 years (will feature in the 150 Years of The Village Market exhibition, May 5-31, 2017)
During May, the Market will host an exhibition showcasing its long and colourful history through the eyes of those who have known it best – the traders, shoppers and local residents. The exhibition will feature memories, stories, photos, films, historical information and artefacts from the Port Phillip City Collection. A selection of exhibits will be curated into a time capsule for future generations.
Market goers also have an opportunity to win a return trip for two to Europe valued at more than $8,900. This prize is sponsored by italktravel and includes return economy flights from Melbourne to Europe with Qatar Airways, three nights accommodation in London, four nights accommodation in Rome, a cooking lesson in the Italian countryside, a private market tour in London, A Taste of Borough Market gastrotour and more.
“Great markets, such as ours, are at the centre of the community they serve; they are part of the fabric of culture, heritage and place,” Market General Manager, Ross Williamson said. “There is great affection between the traders and their customers with relationships built up over generations of shopping at South Melbourne Market and our community has welcomed the opportunity to celebrate with us. This is really apparent in the large number of people who have shared their stories and memories in our anniversary year.”
Visit https://southmelbournemarket.com.au/150-years for all the details.
