Big West Festival

Overview

Every two years Melbourne’s inner western suburbs stage their very own Big West Festival. The 65 events that make up the festival sees work developed with local communities curated with an approach that reflects the area’s strong multiculturalism.

The quality of the performance works alone demonstrate that Big West punches well above its weight as a suburban festival, including the return season of Melbourne Fringe favourite The Waiting Room by physical theatre collective Born in a Taxi, and the premiere of Stray at The Substation. Perhaps most anticipated of all is The Container, Clare Bayley’s immersive, challenging story of European asylum seekers travelling in a shipping container which played to sell-out seasons across the UK, where it was judged Best Show at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Some other highlights of Big West include the festival’s Opening Night Party, featuring music by artists like Diafrix, as well as the coveted Footscray Street Art Prize.