Neighbourhood bonding: East Sydney Spring Festival

Apart from Mardi Gras, there’s not a great deal that brings the community together during the rest of the year, Scott Tulloch believes. That’s why he decided to organise the first East Sydney Spring Festival, a street party to take place on Sunday 26 September.

The area needs more than just Mardi Gras once a year. There’s nothing else here, said Tulloch, an events organiser who has worked on Tropfest, Moonlight Cinema and Mobile Home. We want to give people a reason to come back to the area.

Tulloch hopes the festival will help bring business back to the neighbourhood and also bring the community together -“ both queer and straight. He’s expecting between 25,000 and 50,000 people to attend.

The idea was to hold a not-for-profit event that creates an attraction for the area, raises funds for charity and gives people an excuse to get on the street, meet their neighbours and get to know the area again, Tulloch said.

The event will take place at Taylor Square North, stretching down Bourke and Forbes Streets to Burton Street. Between midday and 8pm it will feature live bands, food and drink stalls, drag performances by Courtney Act and Claire de Lune, plus fashion shows by the Fashion Design Studio at the Sydney Institute of TAFE. The day will be hosted by Miranda Fair (pictured) and Sandy Toggs.

Local hotels The Colombian and Kinselas are the main two sponsors of the festival, while money raised will be donated to World AIDS Day, the Ted Noffs Foundation and the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation.

If the festival’s a success Tulloch hopes to hold four a year -“ one for each season.

Miranda Fair revealed there will be a couple of surprises on the day, including an appearance by a major political figure.

I’m very much looking forward to it, it’s going to be a fun day, Miranda said. It’s kind of like a Fair Day alternative, and a great excuse to get out and have a perv.

For more information go to www.mirandafair.com.au.