Wrapped Creation’s Brew and the Moo joins long list of axed festival in Karratha

Another festival will join the long list in Karratha’s major events graveyard after organisers of a highly anticipated beer and beef festival became the latest to pull the pin. Event organiser Wrapped Creations announced this year’s Brew and the Moo would be its last because of rising costs and lack of sponsorship. Wrapped Creations owner David Yakas said it had been a fantastic six years, and thanked the community and sponsors for their support. “There’s no doubt the event industry has suffered over the past two years and as a small business, we’ve had to rely on funding and event sponsorships to make events like Brew and the Moo happen,” he said. “Wrapped Creations isn’t going anywhere, we’ll still be putting on great events on behalf of local businesses and for the community right here in the Pilbara. “We’re just having to change it up a bit to make sure we can still operate efficiently.” Stardeck Group owner Bart Parsons, whose Beats in the Heat festival was put on ice in 2019, said there needed to be some long, hard thinking about how events were supported. Mr Parsons called for more support from local and State governments to ensure the longevity of these annual events. “There’s a lot more things that could be done that aren’t necessarily direct sponsorship to lessen the cost for festivals,” he said. “The biggest cost for our festivals is security ... so if there was some thought process behind that from council and from State Government, that’s anywhere from $15,000-$25,000 out of the cost. “Maybe (the council) can have more equipment or install more facilities at some of the venues that we use like Cattrall Park and make sure there’s more power so we’re not spending as much on generators.” City of Karratha Mayor Peter Long said he was surprised to hear Brew and the Moo had been cancelled. “The intent with some of those things is that we get them started, so we get the money to get it started,” he said. “Then it should be self-sustaining — that’s what we think.” Brew and the Moo joins the long list of canned annual events in the Pilbara, including the event it replaced in 2016, Gossip Festival. Beats in the Heat was scrapped because of economic uncertainties, as was Fluid Festival, which ran from 2015-2017. The Red Dog Relay was scrapped in 2017 over a lack of council funding.