Port Noarlunga Blues Festival

Above: The kids are alright – ‘Southside’ will be appearing at the Port Noarlunga Blues Fest as part of the organisers initiative to keep the blues alive by bringing young musicians into the fold.

November 25 – 27

Words by Hollie Connery.

This three-day, all-blues, no-shoes event is set to entertain music fans once more this November. The Port Noarlunga Blues Festival will again send out its siren call for lovers of blues and roots to come gather on the Port Noarlunga foreshore, cold drink in hand, and settle in for a huge line-up of local and international acts.

A true testament to the strength of the community and its relationship to music, Port Noarlunga’s local residents and business owners have collaborated to ensure festival goers can saunter from stage to stage over the three days. Patrons can weave their way in between cafes, restaurants and community clubs as they transform into musical venues for the duration of the festival.

Now in its fifth year, the music is getting sharper, the crowds larger and the line-up ever more impressive as international act the Matt Schofield Trio joins local guitar hero Chris Finnen to headline Saturday night at the Arts Centre in the heart of Port Noarlunga.

The kids are alright ...

If you’re a die-hard blues fan you know that there’s something about this particular style of music that just begs to be experienced live. So the best way for blues to survive in its purest form, is for our youngsters to get in on the act, allowing the blues notes to sink into their bones and be carried forward with them in body and soul.

This year for the first time, Port Noarlunga Blues Festival has expanded the youth program to include one youth act at each of the eight main venues, with artists coming from ARBA (Adelaide Roots and Blues Association), the City of Onkaparinga Youth Program, local schools and committee selection. Shining a light on these young musicians interested in the art form, and giving them a taste of the audience that connects to their genre, is one way of encouraging blues appreciation in the next generation. Organisers are also encouraging avid musicians to sign up for the Alan Gilbert open mic program to be housed at Port Burgers, just a stone’s throw from the water.

So for the love of blues, get on down, enjoy the show and play your part in ensuring blues survives on our streets. You never know, you could be looking at the next Ma Rainey or Muddy Waters. Tickets available via website: portnoarlungabluesfestival.com.au Proudly supported by the City of Onkaparinga.

Spring wellness

As winter lifts its veil and the promise of spring brings opportunities for renewal and refurbishment, the Fleurieu Peninsula boasts a range of world-class services to help our community to live in their best light.

ARTS THERAPY SPECTRUM

Home to the largest creative therapies team in Adelaide. Their professional and qualified therapists create a comprehensive support network for assisting individual clients to experience the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes. ATS also provides learning and training opportunities for parents, therapists and organisations to increase awareness of the benefits of working with the unconscious mind through art and play to express emotions and ultimately make meaning of our experiences. With a new location in Goolwa, ATS now has two Fleurieu locations, and works in schools across the state. artstherapyspectrum.com.au

EMMA HOLDSWORTH

Emma takes care of parents so that parents can take care of their babies. She is a counsellor, doula and parent educator with over 20 years’ experience working with families. Emma offers an opportunity for new mums and their families to be completely held by providing a unique blend of the mental and emotional health support of a counsellor, with the practical support and education of a doula and parent educator. Emma provides holistic, in-home (or online) support services to families from preconception through to one-year postpartum. emmaholdsworth.com.au

SOUTH COAST NURTURING

South Coast Nurturing is a youth-focused outreach counselling service specialising in supporting at-risk youth. Melanie is a registered and professional Australian Counselling Association practitioner and NDIS provider for youth in our community. Her driving force is to equip her clients with lifelong skills to navigate through life’s adversities as they occur and to reach out to others when they’re in need. She provides an immersive experience of self discovery, by engaging clients within nature and utilising her therapy animals when required. southcoastnurturing.com.au

FLEURIEU WELLBEING

Better mental health and wellbeing is possible and we’re creating positive change stories in our community. Regardless of circumstances, everyone’s experience of mental health and wellbeing is uniquely individual. Together we’ll create a strength-based way forward so you can live the life you really want and start flourishing. With our in-home or telehealth services, you can work one-on-one with a qualified professional or join us for an evidence-based program or masterclass to grow your wellbeing and share it with your loved ones, friends and local community. fleurieuwellbeing.com

ROAR SPEECH PATHOLOGY

Roar Speech offers accessible paediatric speech pathology services to families across the Fleurieu Peninsula and metro Adelaide. We have two child-friendly ‘dens’ to welcome our families in Port Elliot and Unley. At Roar, we nurture relationships with each child, their family and communication partners, and we pride ourselves on playing, being creative, innovative and fun in our sessions. Our mission is to support and encourage each child to build confidence and independence when communicating so they can roar! roarspeech.com.au

LITTLE BIG JOURNEYS

Assisting teenagers, pre-teens and adults navigate the adolescent years. More than ever we need to learn how to journey through our wellbeing, as well as grow our knowledge on what our kids need, when confronted with challenges and change. Louise Flaherty counsels families to learn to thrive in their relationships with themselves and each other. Her bush camps and workshops use rites of passage concepts to help parents and children nurture their inner confidence and resilience, and grow the bond between mother and sons, mother and daughters, fathers and sons and individual gender groups. littlebigjourneys.com.au