Cow Town Chow Down is a youth-driven community event where young people’s love for food is mixed with arts, culture and music.
Casino’s Colley Park will come alive with tasting plates, local produce, cooking demonstrations, craft market stalls, film screenings and live music showcasing what young people in the Richmond Valley have to offer.
This is an event created by young people and for young people and will provide some valuable weekend entertainment.
The Cow Town Chow Down program includes:
• Tasting plates
• Live music by youth
• Craft market stalls
• Workshops
• Educational stalls
• Film screenings produced by youth
• Degustation Olympics
• Hospitality demonstration
The main event will run from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday 9 November, with a film screening from 6pm.
For application forms for market stalls, and busking, please see booking information below.
Colley Park and the Casino Indoor Sports Stadium
Background
The Richmond Valley has a higher than average youth population, with 31.7% of the population aged under 25 (2015 ABS). Casino, the Richmond Valley’s rural centre, has a high youth population, minimal public transport and limited entertainment options for young people.
The Richmond Valley is a low socio-economic area, with higher than average unemployment of 8% when compared to the national average of 5.6%. As such, Richmond Valley Council’s Events Team has targeted the Cow Town Chow Down Youth Festival to improve young people’s access to further training and employment opportunities and improved educational outcomes.
The Festival will collaborate with local employment agencies and educational institutions such as TAFE and Southern Cross University.
They will be encouraged to actively participate in Festival activities so that they are linked to learning and employment outcomes.
Informational market stalls on education and employment avenues for young people will be easily accessible during the Festival. The Festival will also provide young people with the opportunity to showcase their talents and grow their skills through the various workshops on offer, further increasing future employment opportunities.