August 2011 Newsletter

A huge welcome one and all to our August BCM and to the Bellingen Jazz & Manouche Festival 2011 weekend. Historically what has formerly been the Jazz & Blues Festival has for its 22 years coincided with BCM and in so doing has provided a value added bonus to anyone looking to have a fantastic weekend, with so much on offer you can’t go wrong.

Lots of important information on how today will roll out that you need to be aware of so please read on.
We have to vacate the Market Park pronto at days end! Due to rescheduling of rugby league fixtures previously postponed due to rain there is to be a game played this afternoon. At 4pm Market Park will revert to a football field and we must be packed and gone before 3.30pm and footie fans begin to access the area. We will need to have the park cleared by that time. Please assist by expediting your pack and departure.

A special treat for lovers of fine German automotive technology the Vee Dub Car Club of Sydney will be with us today en masse. The cars will drive through town before doing a ‘horny’ circuit of the Markets before coming to rest in the car park where they’ll be on view all day. They were to be displayed on centre field but in deference to the footie to be played there and the potential for surface damage (after predicted overnight rain) we’ve had to relocate them to one half of the Council car park at the north end of the field. Please pass this on to any visitors who look perplexed.

With expectations of a large crowd the use of the car park will compound any existing parking problems. We would still ask that you PLEASE DO NOT PARK around the Market. Leave that parking for the people that will, if they can find a park, be coming to spend their money with you. One block to the east of Ford St is Connell Park (via Park St then into Prince St) and a very large car park. South of Park St is Rawson St along which is a large nature strip that could also hold a few cars. And sorry NO; cars cannot be left in the Market if you have not been given the express authority by management, in accordance with BCM policy.

We’re anticipating a far size crowd today given our presence in BJ&MF advertising and publicity. I was told BCM in particular got big raves on Friday on Coffs ABC, from Bellbottom Editor, Maggie Quirk who waxed on our VW turnout on ABC National another big rave on the BCM during a mention of the Festival and finally ABC Mid north coast’s Cameron Marshall. So now it’s over to you little pixies to do your magic with our visitors and show them why they say Bellingen Community Markets not just a marketplace but a great place to be.

Market Mutterings
It’s my sad task to advise the passing of one of our long term Permanent Marketeers. Chris Audet who graced B Section selling his Native American feathered bonnets and reggae gear, succumb to liver cancer on July 7th at Dorrigo Hospital. Chris was an unassuming, yet personable bloke who will be a much missed thread in the fabric of our BCM community of marketeers. Another loose thread from our fabric but for happier reasons is our E Section Tarot reader. Suzanne is relocating to sunnier climes, is working on her second publication and ongoing web page but needs her BCM ‘fix’ so will hop the border to join us from time to time.
Pics and stories appeared in Coffs and Bello press of the handing over of our cheque for $1,000 to help establish and open the Bellingen Men’s Shed chapter and premises. Also Urunga Nippers recently received a contribution of $300 from us toward specialist surfboards (unpublicised).