By Abdulrahman Abdulkader
It’s that time of the year again, when the Victorian Seniors Festival takes place across the state throughout the month of October.
All 79 councils in the state, including Brimbank, Wyndham, Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay councils, are taking part with this year’s theme focusing on connecting, creating and celebrating.
Maribyrnong Council has organised several events including an AI art exhibition that showcases work from members of the community, and a seniors morning tea. In Wyndham, seniors can look out for some relaxing Tai Chi classes or join the light and fun adult ballet classes. In Hobsons Bay, council has prepared classes for seniors around understanding artificial intelligence and fake news, and Brimbank Council is hosting a Sports Day in an effort to keep seniors active while having fun, as well as a Day Out on the Bowery and many more.
Brimbank Council’s Deputy Mayor, Victoria Borg, says the festival is important for the elder community to “feel connected”.
“It is important for them to stay connected and to have that sense of belonging that they still belong to the community,” she says.
She highlights that since the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors have felt lonelier than ever before and that it is important for everyone to celebrate.
“We find that seniors do feel a great sense of loneliness and that is partly because you know they may be living far away from their family or if the family is living close, the family has got lots of other commitments,” she says.
“I think it is in our DNA and every culture has got its own celebration, no matter where we are coming from.”
The Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria’s Communications Manager, Steve Wright, says the festival allows the senior community to connect and converse with each other.
“This is just a really good way of celebrating, connecting older Victorians together and giving them a chance to create. That’s really what the theme of the 2025 festival is: connect, create and celebrate,” he says.
As well as the many live and local events planned there will be online activities for those who can’t attend in person, and the Victorian government will give seniors eight days of free travel on public transport between the 5th and 12th of October. Wright says this is one of many benefits of this festival that seniors should look forward to.
“There is certainly something for everyone in the Victorian Seniors Festival. We’re so incredibly proud to join with the Victorian Government and local councils and community groups to make these events available to Victorians young and old,” he says.
For more information head to – cotavic.org.au/our-programs/victorian-seniors-festival
*Abdulrahman Abdulkader is a journalism intern from RMIT
