Roll out your dough to help support the Country Women’s Association (CWA) and original South Australian live music at SconeFest.
A musical jam session with scones and cream, SconeFest showcases original music from South Australian performers, such as singer and performer Pat Wilson. “I’ve been doing [music] for a while and so has my partner Adrian Barnes, and we’re going to be doing stuff together at SconeFest,” Pat says.
“Both of us are actors, singers, performers and we do basically dirty cabaret, which will be nicely clean for the CWA and SconeFest. We don’t do the grimey stuff, we do original material and that’s the point of SconeFest music, that it’s all original Adelaide music, original writing.”
SconeFest helps raise funds for the CWA, an organisation with a proud reputation of supporting people in remote areas. “They do a hell of a lot of good, particularly in regional areas,” Pat says.
“The CWA does amazing stuff, even from the point of view of the mental health of people out there doing it tough in the country.”
After the success of last year’s sell-out event, SconeFest returns again under the direction of organiser Emma Knights, who Pat commends highly for her commitment to championing the original produce of South Australia, musical or otherwise.
“What Emma is really good at is promoting South Australian products, South Australian composers, South Australian performers,” she says.
“She’ll bang the regional drum really heavily and she’s done it for some years to encourage, particularly with SconeFest, original writers performing original material.”
This year you can indulge your love for scones to your heart’s content with the Stuff With Scones eating challenge. For a nominal fee, go hammer and tongs at a plate of scones while Pat stands by watching on with utmost respect.
“I couldn’t do many at all. I’d probably do about four, that’d be about my limit. They are remarkably filling so anyone that can do that Stuffed With Scones thing has my admiration,” she laughs.
Also featuring on the music line-up will be Frank Loves Joan, Kate Neville, Hannah Yates and more, making for an eclectic mix of local performers.
Then there’s the age-old argument that will surely be debated fiercely on the day: which comes first, the jam or the cream? “For me, traditionally, jam first then cream,” Pat says.
“Which means I’m not traditional Devon, but there you go; I’m an Australian, so in my strange Antipodean ways, jam first then cream.”
SconeFest takes place at North Adelaide Community Centre Sunday 21 July (2-4:30pm), as part of Umbrella: Winter City Sounds.
