Raindance - Darwin Artists Supporting Farmers
The Top End arts community are joining the humble chicken parma in raising funds to help drought-affected farmers.
By Tamara Howie
Raindance – Darwin Artists Supporting our Farmers will see local music icons come together to raise $10,000 for Rural Aid Australia as the plight of Aussie famers is once again in the spot-light.
The line-up features music acts At The Dakota, Max Fredericks, Melanie Gray, Rachel Rachel and Roy Mackonkey plus local comedians and more acts yet to be announced.
The brains behind the fundraising event, Guy Dunne from The Beachfront Hotel, says it’s an important cause local acts are keen to support.
“Everyone knows our farmers are doing it really tough and they’re struggling so that we can all pop down to Woolies and get our bag of veggies,” he says.
“I think everyone really feels their plight and obviously there has been a huge amount of publicity on the issue lately. The more aware-ness and cash we can raise for them, the more we can do to ease their burden.”
Pubs around the country have thrown their support at the viral ‘Parma for a Farmer’ campaign, where money from every parma sold is donated to charity, but Dunne says he knew the communi-ty would be keen to do more.
“A lot of pubs are getting involved in the Parma for a Farmer initiative, but we thought there are a lot of great musicians around town who are keen to get involved to support a good cause,” he says.
“I put the word out among some of our artists and it’s been really overwhelming and heart-warming, the amount of interest.”
The event will charge a gold coin donation entry and there will be raffles, auctions and a Facebook live telethon to raise cash, so those who can’t physically be at the gig can still be involved.
The Beachfront Hotel will also donate $5 from every parma and 10 per cent of the bar takings on the day.
SAT 8 SEP | 2PM-2AM | THE BEACHFRONT HOTEL | GOLD COIN DONATION | See the event listing
