General News
9 December, 2025
Funding for booktown event
Clunes Booktown Festival received State Government Funding for their milestone year — the 20th anniversary.
Clunes’ Booktown Festival is celebrating their 20th anniversary next year thanks to recent State Government funding atop of decades of local community support.
The internationally recognised festival’s two-decade milestone was secured last week when the State Government announced the festival would share in the Regional Events Fund’s latest $38 million funding round.
The fund is delivered by Visit Victoria and supports festivals, sporting events, and art exhibitions that create jobs and boost tourism in regional Victoria.
It offers up to $500,000 for major events of national or international significance and up to $50,000 for events that draw visitors from across the state and country.
Clunes Booktown Festival director Suzi Cordell said the announcement follows five years of State Government support with increased funding received this year.
“The whole town benefits from this funding. It’s an incredible opportunity for us and we’re really thrilled about it,” she said.
It’s taken a village for the small town of Clunes to run the festival for the last two decades.
While there’s a core team of largely part-time organisers, there’s also partner organisations alongside the State Government, and an army of volunteers that make the event possible.
“They’re just incredible people who help us,” Ms Cordell said.
“It wouldn’t happen otherwise.”
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said she was thrilled to support Clunes Booktown Festival once again.
“Not only will it be an incredible event for thousands of visitors, but it will also help give our hotels, pubs, cafes and businesses a boost,” she said.
Ms Cordell expects booked out accommodation and thousands of visitors to take to the weekend’s festivities now the dates are locked in: March 21 to 22, 2026.
What those festivities are, however, is a secret tale she was not yet ready to tell.
Those eager to see what the milestone event has to offer will have to wait until January when the program is announced.
“We’ve got this little town that just comes to life over that weekend,” Ms Cordell said.
Those wanting to learn more, or are eager to volunteer, can find out more on the event’s website clunesbooktown.org.au