“Sydney shines during Vivid Sydney and I can’t wait for everyone to experience it,” he said.
While Vivid drew crowds like flaming moths, other festivals and carnivals around Sydney also returned this weekend, bringing to life areas such as Blacktown, Manly, Pyrmont and Fairfield.
Colored by the return of The Streets Alive and Parade Day, Blacktown CBD came to life with entertainment, arts and crafts, market stalls and free attractions on Saturday. The parade, which began at 11 a.m., showcased Blacktown’s multiculturalism, history, and emergency services.
The northern beaches will become a playground for the palate this month, kicking off with the Taste of Manly event that began on Saturday. Local food, craft beer, cider and Manly liqueurs flowed while live music from local artists such as Roshani and LamBros. tour of the Corso.
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Like Vivid, Taste of Manly has been suspended for two years during the pandemic. To give the event the best chance of working amid the uncertainty with COVID, Northern Beaches Council event chief Lisa Dowsett hosted the event at Manly Oval.
And while the weather challenges forced the town hall to adapt quickly, Dowsett was determined to make sure the event progressed. “This week we’ve been crushed by the weather and the oval is actually underwater,” he said. “We have a smaller event than we had anticipated, but we have been able to achieve something.”
Orange wine, beer and produce arrived at The Pyrmont Food and Wine Festival on Saturday, along with local Sydney food truck vendors, local artists and producers. Mayor Clover Moore opened the event with live performances by local entertainers over the weekend.
The Fairfield Culinary Carnival also opened on Saturday, with cooking demonstrations by famed chef Fast Ed and actress, opera singer and television personality Silvia Colloca, along with cooking workshops for young people. Free face painting, music, and traveling performers spread throughout the event, which ended with a fireworks display in the evening.
Despite the uncertainty generated by COVID and the weather conditions, Dowsett said the event organizers were trying to attract people back to the cities. “The world is returning to normal, but events are still really affected,” he said. “[But] bring events like [Taste of Manly] “It’s important to get people back and help businesses that have also been affected.”