If anyone knows the secrets to festival success, it’s Hai Pham.
Director of Footscray’s annual East Meets West Lunar New Year Festival since 2007, Mr Pham also manages the Philippines’ fiesta at the Melbourne Showgrounds, the Diwali and Holi Indian festivals at Sandown, the Springvale and Sandown night markets and the Footscray and Sunshine lantern festivals.
His marquee and staging company provides infrastructure to more than 50 festivals a year, and he criss-crosses the state to ensure they all run as smoothly as possible.
Later this month, Mr Pham will be part of a panel, including leading creative thinkers behind Victoria’s premier festivals, discussing the future of festivals in Footscray.
He said most people didn’t realise the amount of work that went on behind the scenes to get a festival up and running.
“We put hundreds of hours into these events and I’m always looking for ways to improve the enjoyment of everyone involved.”
Mr Pham first became involved with the colourful East Meets West Lunar New Year Festival as a volunteer.
The Footscray Asian Business Association was so impressed by his enthusiasm and dedication that he was ultimately handed the reins to run the event, which now attracts more than 60,000 people into the heart of Footscray each year.
“Festivals are a real passion of mine,” Mr Pham said.
“I love the Lunar Festival as it’s a very spiritual day for the Vietnamese community. The kids enjoy it and pick up a lot about an important part of their ancestors’ and parents’ culture.”
The Future of Festivals panel also includes Big West Festival artistic director Marcia Ferguson, Melbourne Festival artistic director Jonathan Holloway and Melbourne Fringe Festival creative director Simon Abrahams and is part of the free Game Changers Conversation Series, which will be held at Victoria University’s MetroWest facility, 138 Nicholson Street, Footscray, from 6.30-7.45pm on Wednesday, November 25.
