Businesses have backed the annual Mary Valley Art Festival with thousands of dollars, giving the organising committee a healthy prize pool for 2025.
Entry forms will be available in May as the final details are confirmed for the festival to be held at Imbil Public Hall from 24-27 July.
The festival is popular with Sunshine Coast artists and provides great exposure for sponsors such as Paul and Josephine Hancock, from Head Start Electrical Contracting.
The couple started the business in 2004 in Brisbane, but in 2016 they fell in love with the Mary Valley, found their farm in Amamoor and moved themselves and Head Start to the valley.
It was their dream to live and work in the country!
Josephine says they are always grateful for the way their new community embraced them. Head Start Electrical started advertising locally and word of their service grew.
Head Start Electricals’ services range from switchboard maintenance and upgrades, property poles, undergrounds, air conditioning, to new works for homes and businesses.
Paul and Josephine say their goal is to deliver excellent service ‘on track and on time’, and to support their customers as quickly as possible when emergencies happen, hot water fails, or the pump is needed to water the cows.
Paul is the head electrician with over 30 years’ experience and works with Nambour Tafe to mentor and train apprentices into good quality tradesman of the future.
Imbil’s new IGA supermarket has also jumped on board as a festival sponsor. It is part of the O’Connell Retail Group which also includes Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay IGA. The store is dedicated and committed to exceptional customer service, providing an extensive product range and staff aim for operational excellence.
Organiser of the Mary Valley Art Festival, Heinke Butt said entries were open from May until 7 July. Awards include the RJR Property Best in Show award of $2000, and $1500 for the Open winner from Gympie’s Bendigo Bank.
There are 10 sections in the show and this year artists will be restricted to two entries per person.
The gala awards presentation will be held on Friday 25 July from 6pm. Tickets are $25 and available on Eventbrite. The weekend concludes with the Masondale People’s Choice Awards at 2.30pm.
