Surry Hills Festival takes centre stage
To say that Surry Hills Festival Co-Director, Cathy Wills, loves everything about her home suburb is right on the money: “I love the creatives who make their home there. I love that in a city of five million, it feels like it’s a village community. I love that you can just be yourself. Really, I love everything about it.”
Surry Hills has built itself as Sydney’s cultural hub, featuring an overwhelming fusion of art and fashion, cafes and nightlife, there’s very little curiosity about why it makes the perfect stage for one of the inner city’s most popular events.
Taking over Prince Alfred Park on Saturday April 18, the Surry Hills Festival is creeping into its 10th year. Originally set on Crown Street, organisers moved the festival in 2006 to cope with bursting numbers of patrons, leaping from 30,000 to 90,000 partygoers from 2005 to 2008.
“It’s bigger than Big Day Out and of course it’s free. People aren’t paying $150, they’re coming in for a gold coin donation. So it’s a little bit more accessible to the general public,” said Wills.
As well as a line-up of Sydney’s up-and-coming musicians, Prince Alfred Park will house 250 stalls showcasing the area’s young designers and artists, and the best in local food and produce.
Wills said she sees the Surry Hills Festival as a place where emerging talent can be fostered: “I really like the idea that bands that are on their way into the music industry get to play before a crowd of thousands.”
As well as a fashion parade by the students at the Enmore Design Centre, Surry Hills’ pet obsession will be exposed once again for the annual Dog Show-Off. Bikes Sydney will be putting on cycling workshops at Wheel Zone as part of a new focus on sustainable living.
