Newtown Festival & Glebe Street Fair: Massive entertainment, wonderful gifts & delicious food
Image: Joanna Haddock. Photo: Michelle Owens
BY JEMMA CLARKE
Book out your next two Sundays because festival season has begun! The notorious Newtown Festival is celebrates its 38th year of championing art, music, food and culture this Sunday, and Australia’s longest street fair is being held for its 33rd year in Glebe a week later, offering you an amazing chance to find some niche goodies as Christmas approaches.
Both events have a pleasing amount of entertainment that will tickle anyone’s fancy. Newtown Festival has over 40 entertainment acts including The Griswolds, All My Exes Live in Texas, and L-FRESH the Lion; while Glebe Street Fair has a number of workshop demonstrations including glass blowing, ceramics and blacksmithing, in addition to over 200 food stalls and electronica and reggae sets throughout the day and into the evening.
NEWTOWN FESTIVAL
Gill Minervini, first time Festival Director for Newtown Festival says there will be something for everyone. “[There are] a combination of artists who came through the expression of interest we put out and artists we wanted to work with [and] every single performer is performing as a donation to the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre,” she said. All of the money raised will support preventing Inner West homelessness by funding the early intervention programs that local support services have on offer.
If you have a pretty pooch the cost of registration into the Newtown dog show will also go to this cause. As always the dog show is a rather popular event at Newtown Festival and registration opens at 9am on the day. There are doggie events all day including ‘Celebrity Look-a-like’, ‘Pick up Poo’ (which challenges stigma and singles out the reigning champion picking up the most poos in less that 30 seconds) and ‘Champion BFFF Best Fury Friend Forever’, with every contestant receiving a prize at the end of the day.
The Newtown Locals (a collaborative of businesses who serve the Newtown community and the greater good) will also be there for the third year in a row and this time around they have a much larger and central space to make eating an easy treat. Newtown Locals member Jake Smyth says: “It’s a bit of no brainer when it comes to the food being good. There are some of the best restaurants and cafes in the 2042 postcode coming together to collaborate to create some fun food.” The food they’ll have on offer will be no more than $10, with fresh and tasty ingredients. “The key message of the day is: come down and spend your money with us, only because the money goes straight back to the community,” added Smyth.
GLEBE STREET FAIR
Meanwhile Glebe Street Fair promises a spectacular opening event and also focuses on giving all the proceeds from the day back to the community. Director of this year’s fair, Kris Spann says: “Glebe Street Fair has always been run by a not-for-profit, which is the Chamber of Commerce, and that entity stimulates and celebrates the local economy… it’s all about what’s new in Glebe and celebrating its history.”
Starting at 10am a smoking ceremony conducted by a local Aboriginal Elder will run down the 1km stretch of street to cleanse and open up the space. This will lead into the opening ceremony which will be a discussion between Glebe’s Local Councillor, Jess Scully, State member Jaimie Parker and Federal member Tanya Plibersek. “It’s a chance for our representatives to show their connections to the area and share their connections to the area,” added Spann.
Another key event is the Greatest Waiter Race, which returns from its launch in 1984, challenging local waiters and waitresses to earn the prestigious title. They will have to prove that they are indeed the greatest waiter in Sydney by completing a number of tasks; such as setting up a table, balancing food and drinks around the perimeter of the street fair, and remembering complicated coffee orders. “It will be a really fun and interactive race,” said Kris, mentioning there will also be a comedian commentating this event.
Both Newtown Festival and Glebe Street Fair offer a day to celebrate each suburb’s unique diversity and culture. It allows local artists, musicians and business owners the chance to showcase their talents and passions while encouraging community members and tourists to engage and contribute – whether that is through listening to some cool new music, trying some delicious cuisine or shopping for some cool, interesting items. Take some time to check out what Newtown and Glebe have to offer and show your support.
Newtown Festival
Sunday Nov 13, 9:30am–5:30pm (9am for dog show registration). Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. Donation on Entry. Info: www.newtownfestival.org
Glebe Street Fair
Sunday Nov 20, 10am–7:30pm (please note stalls close at 5:30pm while music continues until 7:30pm). Glebe Point Road, between Parramatta Road and Bridge Road, Glebe. Free. Info: www.glebestreetfair.com
