On Saturday October 27 Prince Alfred Park will play host to the annual Surry Hills Festival, a music, arts and cultural extravaganza expected to draw a crowd of over 90,000.
The festival is a celebration of the diverse and creative local community, relying on the generous support of key corporate sponsors, talented musicians, artists and entertainers.Headlining are Australian powerhouse and festival scene favourites Tijuana Cartel, who will take to the main stage with their groove-infused beats to reveal their brand new song “Snappy Tom” for a Surry Hills exclusive.
Triple J favourites Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! will bring their own style of monolithic pop rock to the main stage, just in time for the release of their new single “code breaker”. Hot off hitting the stage with artists Kimbra, Dappled Cities, The John Steel Singers and Deep Sea Arcade, the band is sure to please.
And they’re thrilled to be part of the Surry Hills Festival. “Sydney has always been a home away from home and we can’t wait to be a part of the festivities next month.”
Festival darlings Tijuana Cartel will headline on main stage
The main stage will also host a plethora of established and up and coming bands including legendary Aussie hip-hop artist The Tongue, Indie favourites Nantes, the crossover sound of True Vibenations, Afrobeat legends The Liberators and the solo sounds of Mojo Juju.
And don’t forget the Garden Stage where the one and only Alison Wonderland will be mixing up a wicked set of tunes after spending the last year playing Ibiza, Ministry of Sound and official after parties for the Grammys and Brit Awards.
Softwar will keep the party styling and popping into the night. The band has been playing all over the world for the likes of MTV, Rolling Stone Magazine and Gucci and says that while they are regulars at restaurants and cafes in Surry Hills, this will be their first-ever festival appearance. “We”re delighted to be part of it and really excited to cross it off the list in such a rad part of Sydney.”
Canyons are also ripping out a DJ set, and the band is excited about playing.
“We’ve spent more hours in Surry Hills than we have at our homes in the past few years recording our album, so it’s a place we both love dearly. We’re psyched to be involved in supporting something as positive as the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre and can’t wait to party with other like-minded artists doing their bit.”
You can also expect some of Sydney’s favourite DJs including SOSUEME DJs and the boys from Purple Sneakers to join the party.
As the major fundraiser of the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre, the proceeds from the day are injected back into the community to support important services such as holiday and after school childcare, community development programs and community classes in English, computing, dance and sewing.
This year’s festival comes under the new direction of The Festival Company, the creative minds behind the successful Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts and Music Festival. The festival will feature the usual market stalls full of tasty food and fashion treasures but will experience a renewed focus on the rich and vibrant musical and artistic scene within Surry Hills.
Installation artists, performers and other creative minds have been encouraged to take part in the festival by applying through the official website www.surryhillsfestival.com.
Successful applicants will serenade the enormous crowd of festivalgoers, an experience enjoyed by many past performers including Bluejuice, Lanie Lane, Jinja Safari, Jonathan Boulet and Tin Sparrow.
Festival Director Matt Grant says all styles of music are welcome at this event. “It’s quite a multi-genre festival, anything from roots to indie to electronic to world… anyone can get through to perform at the event if the music is of a good enough quality.”
The festival is open to all ages and provides something for everyone, especially little ones in need of some exciting holiday activities such as face-painting and interactive entertainers.
“We’ve got a children’s festival, music stages for people who love different types of music, a dog show and an eco-living space where people can learn about sustainability,” says Grant.
“The festival is for everyone.”
For more information about how to get involved in the Surry Hills Festival visit www.surryhillsfestival.com
I can remember some the first surrey hills festivals in the early eighties with fond memories , a real melting pot of diversity. Taste ,smell and feel the difference it’s good for your soul!