Grafton TAFE Campus Market Day on again

Friday 3 November 2006

The grounds of Grafton TAFE Campus were open to the public for the twenty-second year running in what has become the famous Grafton TAFE Jacaranda Festival Market Day. Saturday 4 November saw dozens of family-centred activities staged, with lots of catering, competitions and entertainment filling the campus grounds.

“As the major provider of vocational education, we are already well established as a key participant in the Clarence Valley community,” said Wendy Bruszewski, Campus Manager, “and we feel it’s important to continue to contribute to the community by holding the Market Day each year.”

According to Ms Bruszewski the activities at this year’s Market Day reached an all time high in numbers and variety. “For example, the raffle was great this year, we raffled a kid’s cubby house, made by TAFE staff and students; original art works on painted canvases, also produced by TAFE staff and students and a dinner for 4 people at the campus’ Terrace restaurant,” said Ms Bruszewski.

Ms Bruszewski added that their Tourism and hospitality staff and students “put on a big breakfast, Devonshire teas and the official luncheon for the Jacaranda Queen and her official party”.

The kid’s play area and face painting were run by staff and students from Children’s Services with Grafton Art Club providing easels and cushions for the kids play area. “Staff and students from our Business and Administration section conducted a survey of 500 visitors to establish the demographics of the people visiting and levels of interest in TAFE courses,” said Ms Bruszewski.

The TAFE Music students provided courtyard entertainment along with the Grafton High school big band and the South High school rap dancers. There was also a sale of books from the Library and an indigenous art exhibition held by the Institute’s Aboriginal Education and Training Unit, and a display of historic stationary engines, which were provided by Mid North Coast Machinery Restoration Club.