Parramasala 2020 — POSTPONED

Overview

UPDATE: MARCH 13, 2020 — The Parramasala Board has decided to postponed this event due to 'significant feedback from communities and growing concerns over COVID-19'. New dates are yet to be announced, but we'll be sure to keep you updated. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.

Western Sydney's Parramasala Festival is back for its tenth year — and it's set to be the biggest and most diverse event yet. The free annual festival, which celebrates and showcases Sydney's many cultures, will take place in Parramatta across three action-packed days. Expect a colourful combination of music, dance, food, film and theatre, all spread throughout Prince Alfred Park, the Parramatta riverbank and Riverside Theatres.

Kicking things off on Friday, March 13, the Welcome Parade will see a colourful and loud procession of over 600 performers, drummers and musicians. Then catch a light display at twilight for the 10th Birthday Party before dancing the night away at the Opening Night Party, with award-winning Venezuelan party band Los Amigos Invisibles playing live.

Across the three days, you can also catch live tunes from Zambian-Australian rapper and singer Sampa The Great; ARIA-nominated Mojo Juju; Adelaide-bred Adrian Eagle; Pitjantjatjara-Torres Strait Islander and Triple J Unearthed artist Miiesha; Persian rapper CHAII; and up-and-coming singer Temgazi.

There'll also be the World Dance Congress, which will feature a range of moves, from traditional Aboriginal dance to Bharatanatyam (classical Indian dance), African street dance and belly dancing, as well as Masala Nights — a cross-cultural dance show taking place at sundown. If that's not enough, there'll also be art installations and a bunch of free film screenings.

To keep you fuelled over the three days, there'll a huge variety of food options — think curry, dumplings, gozleme and more — which you'll find at market stalls, a food 'village' and the International Aromas Festival, plus the communal Long Table Lunch.

Image: Salty Dingo.