mmg.com.au

For the last two years I’ve only had a glimpse into the annual Deniliquin Matchmakers Festival.

By covering the event for the Pastoral Times I thought I knew what it was all about. I was wrong.

This year, the third Matchmakers Festival, I got the chance to have a look at the event ‘behind the scenes’.

A friend, Paulette Vargas, won tickets to the festival on the Matchmakers Facebook page after attending last year.

Insistent I come along with her, I reluctantly agreed.

But the opportunity to see the event and learn more about the people who decide to give it a go appealed to me.

And knowing I would have Paulette and two more of my closest friends – Amanda Wilson and Anthony Young – by my side, I actually started to really look forward to it.

Many of the people I spoke with during the three-day event were, as they often called themselves, ‘‘repeat offenders’’.

A few, in fact, left the Sunday morning farewell breakfast with a genuine ‘‘see you next March’’.

Having now participated in the ‘love-fest’ myself, it is easy to see why they look forward to coming back each year.

There is an electric energy at the event, and the enthusiasm is contagious.

More than 150 single men and women made the Deniliquin RSL Club their home base for the weekend, sharing good food and good company.

And while the number of women far outweighed the men, no-one was ever left without someone to befriend.

The event truly is a great way to forge new relationships, romantic or otherwise.