While tickets have now sold out for the third annual Long Table Dinner, there will be a host of entertainment for the whole community to enjoy on the night.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a ticket, head down to historic High Street to take in all the spectacle of the event including of 1200 diners, Christmas markets in Henry Street, roving circus performers, food trucks, Santa and his elves, illuminated grass trees, the St Pat’s Starlight Hotel Choir and a Steve Hensby band live band! Join us in dancing down the streets and celebrating all that is Freo!
Managing director and owner of The National Hotel, Karl Bullers, is excited about the new additions to the event this year.
“We’ve got Moore and Moore presenting Christmas Markets all along Henry Street featuring crafts, gifts, goodies and beverages,” he said.
“There will be more than 30 circus stars filling the streets and plenty of fun for all the family.”
St Pat’s CEO, Michael Piu, commended the community spirit that has made each Long Table Dinner event a success.
“This year we’re hoping to surpass $100,000, which is just critical for us to reach more people in need,” he said.
“It’s not even just the money – it’s the 200 volunteers who run the event, it’s the 100 local businesses who have donated prizes, goods or services.
“It really is the perfect demonstration of Freo’s community spirit in action.”
As part of the evening’s fundraising efforts, there are loads of goodies up for grabs as part of the Long Table silent auction. Visit myminiauction.com/stpats/ to place your bid!
Post your pictures from the evening to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #freolongtable
It’s longer, bigger!
THIS year’s Fremantle Long Table Christmas dinner is set to be the biggest and best yet with more entertainers and even better food.
But it’s not just another festive nosh-up with all proceeds from ticket sales going to St Patrick’s Community Support Centre on Queen Victoria Street.
For more than 40 years the centre has been providing holistic care for locals who are homeless or disadvantaged.
“The second annual Fremantle Long Table Dinner held in 2017 was a resounding success, with more than $85,000 raised for homeless and vulnerable people across Fremantle and the South West Metro area,” says St Pat’s CEO Michael Piu.
“It was incredible to see so many people come out – 800 diners and many more members of the public – to support our community’s most vulnerable.”
“The funds raised at last year’s event enabled us to support more people in need and to improve and expand St Pat’s services.”
• The dining table will be almost half a kilometre long
• A total of 1200 three-course Christmas Dinners will be served
• About 200 volunteers will help the night go smoothly
• The feast is expected to raise more than $100,000 for the homeless and disadvantaged
• More than 100 businesses will contribute goods or services
• Guests will be entertained by 40 street performers and acts provided by Circus WA
• Around the corner there will be Christmas Markets on Henry St, with 30 festive craft stalls, food and drinks
Vital funds a lifesaver
FUNDS raised from Fremantle’s Long Table Dinners have helped St Pat’s provide essential services to the homeless and disadvantaged.
One of St Pat’s most recent initiatives is an oral health clinic, offering a range of free dental treatments for clients including extractions, fillings and preventative care.
The clinic has been fully booked since it opened in 2016, delivering 153 procedures to 246 clients in the past month, and last year it began offering a dentures service.
“Demand for dental services has been even higher than expected,” says St Pat’s CEO Michael Piu.
“People who are homeless are least likely to attend a dentist and have a higher incidence of poor oral health, with access, affordability and trust in mainstream services all presenting barriers to people receiving necessary dental care.
“St Pat’s is now in the process of expanding services even further.”
The not-for-profit also provides several other health care services including the Fremantle Street Doctor, optometry, hearing checks and immunisation.
The services are extremely popular and 343 health appointments were made this month.
But Mr Piu says the nerve centre of St Pat’s is still its day centre on Queen Victoria Street, which gives homeless people access to showers, free breakfast and emergency relief.
It is also an important social hub, where clients can have a chinwag or even join St Pat’s choir if they fancy a warble.
Mr Piu says their ultimate goal is to end homelessness.
“Our accommodation options cater for families in crisis, young people, women and men,” he says.
“Our team of staff and volunteers develop strong relationships with clients which enables us to facilitate genuine improvements in their lives and empowers people to reach their full potential.
“Our goal is to end homelessness; and to build a community where all people can live secure and independent lives.”
Circus fun for all
AFTER a highly successful debut last year, CircusWA will be returning to keep guests entertained with a bigger and better show at Fremantle’s 2018 Long Table Christmas dinner.
CircusWA program manager Jo Smith says this year’s performance will be more interactive and larger in scope, with roving performances and storylines that engage the audience.
Six musicians and 28 youth troupe performers, dubbed the “rogue circus troubadours”, will cause entertaining mayhem up and down High Street.
Other acts lined up include The Road Worker gang, who will build a tripod rig and perform aerial manoeuvres, a high tea featuring comedy bakers on stilts and the Chicken Emporium, with misbehaving chooks that cause all sorts of chaos.
Rounding off the night will be a massive dance party as the Steve Hensby Band take to the stage and diners start boogying on High Street.
The team behind the event is animateur/director Karen Hethey, clown and puppetry artist Sanjiva Margio, circus artist/director Nellie Simpson, composer Mark Cain and clown and musician Giri Mazzella.