CURRENT PROJECTS

Castlemaine Fringe Festival 2025

Sat 22 March - Sun 6 April

Fionna has recently joined the Castlemaine Fringe Festival as their Operations Manager. 

Run biannually, Castlemaine Fringe Festival is an independent festival which traditionally runs parallel to the Castlemaine State Festival, providing an affordable program of cultural and community events and an opportunity for local, established, and emerging creatives to be seen and celebrated. 

Fringe also runs other activities across the year, incl Film Premieres, Art Auctions, Winter Warmers and the Fantastico! Variety Show.

Beat'n Tracks is a newly established live music touring circuit in Central Victoria. 

Regional live music venues Odessa at Leavers Hotel in Creswick, Shedshaker Taprrom in Castlemaine and Shiraz Republic in Cornella are joining forces to create a series of live music shows across the three venues.

Funded by the Federal Government, through Live Music Australia, Beat'n Tracks has been founded to support Australian Music. Fionna is producing & managing the series of events, as well as programming artists. 

Arena Theatre Company is one of Australia's leading theatre producers for young audiences. 

Established in 1966, Arena has accumulated close to six decades of compelling performances and immersive experiences.

Fionna recently joined the Arena team in Bendigo, as their Executive Officer, working part-time to support the board and team to produce exciting theatre and projects, including the upcoming War of The Worlds stage show as part of  the 2025 Adelaide Festival.

A single-day music festival on Dja Dja Wurrung Country / Castlemaine on Saturday 16 November, Town Folk celebrates the diverse, compelling and exciting sounds which live under the ever-widening umbrella of folk. Set across 4 stages, all a short walking distance from one another, this is a family-friendly afternoon-into-evening of performances, food, drinks and friendly faces.

Featuring Marlon Williams, A.Savage, Felicty Cripps Band, Don't Thank Me Spank Me, The Maes, Queenie, The Teskey Brothers, Jess Rebeiro, Ngaiire and more. As well as being Volunteers Manager, Fionna has assisted with the planning of the festival. 

After leaving her role managing community radio station MainFM in 2021, Fionna embarked upon her first on-air adventure for over 20 years.  One Crowded Hour is  that continuing journey: a music show packed with great tunes and the occasional special guest.

10-11am on Wednesday mornings,  Fionna presents a selection of new releases, alongside a loose theme – making up an hour of music inspired by a whole array of awesome things. 

Fionna is the Event Manager for Castlemaine Idyll, Castlemaine's ultimate talent quest and fundraiser for lot19. Idyll has been running for over 15 years, and brings together 800 people in joyous harmony. 

The annual event is like a cross between a reality tv show, your high school eisteddfod, and the best karaoke night of your life.  Local hopefuls apply to sing a song in front of the crowd, backed by a professional band with horn section and backing singers.  

Lot19 Arts is an evolving creative space and events venue located in Central Victoria. A non-profit artists’ retreat, development space and presentation venue, a unique regional arts destination and social-change project. 

Fionna worked as the Comms, Admin & Event Coordinator for lot19 for 2.5 years, supporting the gallery, tenants and events to get the most of of their experience. She is also one of the team who produce Castlemaine Idyll each year. 

Sounds of the Shire: Community Record Boxes is a project initiated by Fionna Allan, designed to offer opportunities to musicians living and working in Mount Alexander Shire, and the newly-formed Castlemaine Women's Shed.

Record Boxes will be stocked with albums by local musicians and placed in outlets across the shire for locals & visitors alike to access & support local music. The project is supported by a Mount Alexander Shire Community Grant. 

Keep an eye out for the launch date!

The Castlemaine Women’s Shed was established to make a space for women to learn about handy work and enjoy making and repairing things, with the aim to have our own shed one day, with all the tools we need to teach women skills they want to learn in a safe, social and supportive space.

Fionna has recently joined the Castlemaine & Surrounds Women's Shed Working Group, designing them a website and supporting with fundraising and events.