The Bickley Harvest Festival is a decentralised event, with the Kalamunda Chamber of Commerce primarily responsible for organising, coordinating and promoting the festival, while 28 individual venues deliver their own events and experiences. This means sustainability looks different across the Valley, with each business contributing in ways that suit its operation.
Some of the key actions in 2026 included:
- Reducing single-use plastic: All participating venues committed to avoiding single-use plastic, using reusable or certified compostable cups instead.
- Reusable festival glasses: Many venues offered Bickley Harvest Festival glasses that visitors could use across different venues, reducing waste and creating a practical festival keepsake.
- Less printing: The festival program and interactive map were fully digital, reducing paper waste while making information easier to update and access.
- Local sourcing: Many venues focus on using locally sourced produce and introduced initiatives such as zero-waste kitchens, supporting both environmental outcomes and local supply chains.
- Reusable event assets: New festival signage was designed to be reused in future years by updating key info with stickering, reducing waste and the need to recreate full signage materials annually.
- Reducing car use: The free festival shuttle gave visitors an alternative to driving between venues. Around 16% of attendees used the service, helping reduce traffic, parking pressure and the festival’s transport impact.
The broader positive impact is just as important. The festival directs visitors towards local producers, growers, hospitality businesses and tourism operators, helping strengthen the Valley’s local economy and supply chains. In 2026, the festival attracted an estimated 13,481 visitors and generated an estimated $2.2 million in economic value, with nine venues reporting their highest-ever sales.
This is not a one-size-fits-all sustainability program. It is a collective effort across 28 independent businesses, supported by a central festival framework that makes it easier for each venue to contribute.