Chatswood’s Emerge Festival starts on the first day of Spring, and is a chance to shake off winter and get outdoors.
Between 1 September and 9 October, Emerge features events for the whole family across the Willoughby area, from art exhibitions, workshops to digital events and plenty for the kids to enjoy. Below are a few of the highlights to look out for.
CHATSWOOD STREET FAIR
2 September | Chatswood CBD
The Street Fair is the showcase event of the Emerge Festival which draws tens of thousands of people from across Sydney. The main streets of Chatswood will be closed off to traffic to allow space for over 120 stalls full of delicious foods and unique gifts, a colourful community parade and entertainment.
FROM VIENNA WITH LOVE
6 September | The Concourse, Chatswood
Opera buffs will enjoy Live at Lunch – From Vienna with Love. Pacific Opera’s Live at Lunch was so successful last year, it’s back again and sees a superb new vocal quarter of rising opera stars return with works by Strauss, Kriesler, Mozart, Stolz, Schubert and Lehár. Joined by popular pianist John Martin and flutest artistic director Jane Rutler, the concert is a further tribute to Live at Lunch patron, conductor Maestro Richard Bonynge.
THE HEN HOUSE
22 September
The Hen House is a funny migrant story based in 1976, when Sherbet’s Howsat topped the Australian music charts.
It explores the dignity and comedy of the female working-class experience. Pavica, a young Croatian mother is elbow deep in chicken carcasses and loving her new Australian life. Her best friend Mila however despises her job and for her the factory is a hell house. They need each other to survive but will it drive them apart? Why not book a ticket for 22 September and find out.
EMERGE LIVE AT NIGHT
Various dates | Artarmon, Northbridge, Willoughby
Emerge Live at Night features a multicultural and diverse line up of acts every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Northbridge, Artarmon and Willoughby. Sit back and enjoy some smooth jazz with a distinctly European feel or get up and swing your hips to some Latin grooves. There will also be DJs and dancing in the streets.
PERSONAL PLAY ABOUT WORLD OF THE DEAF
6 October | The Concourse
Personal is a show about Jodee Mundy who didn’t discover the rest of her family were deaf until she was five years old. It’s a touching and often humorous play which explores growing up CODA (child of deaf parents). The story is told using a captivating blend of performance, storytelling, multimedia and animation. Mundy delves into the contradictions of inhabiting two worlds: living in a Deaf family, where using sign language is natural; and living in a society that sees only the family’s disability with voyeuristic curiosity.
The Emerge Festival is organised by Willoughby Council. For more information, viist the emergefestival.com.au or culturebites.net.au.