Live music, food and culture to combine at Fusion19 on Saturday 19 October
Published: 16 Oct 2019 2:48pm
Wagga Wagga’s premier springtime celebration of live music, food and culture is almost here.
The Victory Memorial Gardens and Civic Centre Precinct will come to life on Saturday 19 October for Fusion19, with a crowd of more than 10,000 visitors and locals expected.
This year, Wagga Wagga City Council’s annual multicultural street festival will be headlined by Kardajala Kirridarra, Thandi Phoenix, Hot Potato Band and Big Sky Mountain who will bring an eclectic mix of sounds and styles to a crowd of more than 10,000 people.
“We’ve curated an exciting line-up with some of the country’s most creative and talented performers,” Council’s Director Community Janice Summerhayes said.
“Along with our headliners, there will be a mix of other entertainment including a DJ, roving performers with a 60s sci-fi space theme and our local community performers.
“There will also be popup shops and for families fun activities, giant games and four hours of rolling workshops with the hugely popular Trash Puppets.”
The world on a plate
Food lovers will be able to devour authentic and modern street-style bites from 30 countries. Including Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, China, France, Great Britain, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tibet, Tonga, Turkey, United States of America and Zimbabwe making it one of the biggest and most diverse menus on offer at the festival.
“From Afghani to Zimbabwean, this year there is a wonderland of international food options on offer in the World Food Village,” Ms Summerhayes said.
“I encourage everyone to grab their picnic rug and chairs, get outside, and have fun with family and friends this weekend.”
Working together to reduce waste
With a crowd of more than 10,000 people, Wagga Wagga City Council and major sponsor Riverina Water County Council (RWCC) are working together to help reduce waste at Fusion19.
‘Riverina Water is excited to be part of Fusion. We’ll be helping our community stay hydrated during the event with fresh and healthy local water at our refill stations,” RWCC General Manager Andrew Crakanthorp said.
“By drinking tap water at Fusion, you’ll help reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles, which can clog up landfill and end up as litter.”
Council has made Fusion19 free from single-use plastic banning plastic beverage containers, plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic cutlery, plastic containers, plastic shopping bags and balloons from the festival footprint.
Food and drink vendors can only provide biodegradable and compostable catering ware, packaging and utensils to festival-goers. Single-use plastic water bottles will not be available for sale.
“Fusion has grown to become one of the city’s premier events attracting thousands of people each year,” Ms Summerhayes said. “Large events also generate a large amount of waste and we are working to reduce that through introducing biodegradable or compostable cutlery and containers as well having green-lid food organics bins at the festival.”
Full festival program now available
Fusion19 will be held in the Victory Memorial Gardens and Civic Centre Precinct from 4pm to 9.30pm on Saturday 19 October. The full program and festival map are now available online at wagga.nsw.gov.au/fusion.
Fusion 19 is presented and funded by Wagga Wagga City Council ($50,000) and made possible by Major Sponsor Riverina Water ($25,000). Fusion is also supported by Origin and our Cultural Partner the Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga and Media Sponsor The Daily Advertiser.
FUSION19
When: Saturday 19 October, 4pm to 9.30pm
Where: Civic Precinct (corner of Baylis and Morrow streets)
What: Free multicultural street festival with performances by Kardajala Kirridarra, Thandi Phoenix, Hot Potato Band and Big Sky Mountain plus roving entertainers, DJ sets, kids’ activities, street food and more.
More information: wagga.nsw.gov.au/fusion
HEADLINERS
Kardajala Kirridarra
Kardajala Kirridarra bring past and present together with songs inspired by country.
A mesmerising performance thousands of years in the making, direct from the Northern Territory to the main stage at Fusion19 to mark the UNESCO International Year of Indigenous Languages. Directly translated as “Sandhill Women”, the group weave a tapestry of traditional and modern music sung in Mudburra and English.
Thandi Phoenix
Thandi Phoenix is one of most promising up-and-comers of Australian music, hear her raw, honest blend of pop and electronica at Fusion19. The hottest rising star of the Australian music scene, Thandi Phoenix has already been dubbed one of the country’s best live acts.
Her latest single was produced with international hit-makers Rudimental, and she’s supported the likes of Tinie Tempah and Vera Blue.
Hot Potato Band
A 10-piece group bursting with drumlines, horns and harmony will bring a street party to the main stage. It’s a New Orleans gumbo filled with horns, drums, plenty of pop and lashings of funk, ska and reggae.
Big Sky Mountain
An all-female seven-piece from Sydney, Big Sky Mountain have brewed their own style of Americana country pop. Big Sky Mountain create a wide landscape of sounds, drawing in country and pop reminiscent of Norah Jones or Sheryl Crow.
Known for their energetic live performances, the all-female group are armed with melodies that are gritty yet vulnerable.
WHAT’S ON
Entertainment
Roving performers Empress Stiltdance, Cosmic Bubble Beings, Twilight Twins and Trash Puppets will weave their way through the mountain of picnic blankets and chairs. You will be dancing on the streets to festival favourite DJ Fairbanks as he drops stack of tracks from Africa, the Caribbean and South America.
World Food Village
Devour a menu of authentic and modern street style bites from 30 countries: Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, China, France, Great Britain, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tibet, Tonga, Turkey, United States of America and Zimbabwe.
PLAYSPACE
Hone your hand-eye coordination skills with totem tennis, play a round (or two) of quoits, rock a hula-hoop or tie yourself up in knots in a game of Twister. If it is a battle of the mind you are seeking, challenge friends and family to a game of giant tower blocks or Giant Connect Four!
DJ Fairbanks
DJ Fairbanks is digging deep into his stack of tracks from Africa, the Caribbean and South America at Fusion19. It’s a web weaved from 70s and 80s funk, disco, reggae and beyond to help you dance your way across the world in Wagga.
Cosmic Bubble Beings
Who’s that rocketing through the crowd at Fusion19? Make way for the Cosmic Bubble Blowing Beings! Little and not-so-little kids will be in awe of these twin rollerblading bubble blowers, who will be bringing 60s sci-fi vibes to mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.
Twilight Twins
Meet the illuminating Twilight Twins – the moon and star combo set to bring outer space in to land at Fusion19. The Twilight Twins will light up the festival to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. It’s set to be out of this world!
Coolbeats Drumming Circle
Hang out with Coolbeats Drumming Circle facilitators Maryanne Gray and Felix Machiridza, explore and re-create the rhythms from the global drumming traditions of Africa including Zimbabwe, Mali and Guinea.
The Trash Puppets
The Trash Puppets teach sustainability through recreating and reimagining our waste and recycling. They will be hosting rolling workshops throughout Fusion19 that are guaranteed to entertain the kids.
Reverse Garbage
Let your imagination and creativity run wild with Marrickville's Reverse Garbage reuse centre and contemporary artists Fiona Arnold and Sarah Wood. Roll up your sleeves and make your creative mark on giant community sculptures - using an eclectic range of industrial discards and quirky leftovers from Reverse Garbage and Gregadoo Waste Management Centre.
Get social
Use #fusionwagga and #visitwagga on social media, or try out the Fusion19 geofilter on Snapchat
FESTIVAL PROGRAM
Victory Memorial Gardens stage
4.00pm Zimpride Marimba Band
4.10pm Acholi Dancers
4.20pm Bolly Bhangra
4.30pm Riverina Nepalese Community
4.40pm Dinka Dance Group
4.50pm Euphoria Dance Crew
5.00pm Shinwa-Kai Karate Club of Australia Inc.
5.10pm Official Welcome
5.20pm Big Sky Mountain
6.15pm Hot Potato Band
7.30pm Thandi Phoenix
8.45pm Kardajala Kirridarra
Civic Forecourt Stage
4.00pm Wagga Filo Kids
4.10pm Alex Jeejo
4.20pm Filipino Cultural Dance Troupe
4.30pm La Chorale Francaise de Wagga Wagga
4.40pm RCM Saxophone Ensemble
4.50pm Coota Bollywood All Stars and All Sorts
5.00pm Keslang Kyab
5.10pm Wagga Sinhala Language School