DISCOVER A NEW VIEW OF SYDNEY AT THE BARANGAROO WELCOME CELEBRATION
Announcement posted by Access Public Relations 14 Aug 2015
· 12 weekends of getting to know Sydney’s new headland park – from 6 September
· Thelma Plum and Casey Donovan join the entertainment line up
Sydney’s extraordinary new six-hectare Harbour foreshore park, Barangaroo Reserve, will be buzzing this spring with the Barangaroo Welcome Celebration, a three-month program of free entertainment, art, culture, talks, and family events.
The Welcome Celebration begins on Sunday, 6 September, with 12 weekends of events during September, October and November to celebrate the historic opening of this spectacular re-created headland park on Sydney CBD’s north-western foreshore.
The Barangaroo Delivery Authority, on behalf of the NSW Government, with Gill Minervini, the Welcome Celebration Creative Director, will bring the rich cultural history of the site to life to mark the return of this waterfront to the public for the first time in more than 100 years.
Craig van der Laan, CEO of the Authority, said: “I am enormously proud of the passion, vision and hard work of hundreds of people who have created this unique park. The Celebration is an invitation to Sydney to come and explore Barangaroo Reserve while enjoying a wonderful program of free events.”
Minervini, said: “The Welcome Celebration is for everyone to come together in this unique location to enjoy the very best our city has to offer and to be part of a new chapter in the story of this exceptionally special place. We are thrilled to deliver a lively and diverse program of arts, talks and entertainment as well as curated picnic food from the best NSW has to offer to suit all tastes and ages.”
The naturalistic cove, foreshore and headland cultural space will be a vibrant hub of activity throughout spring with events and entertainment including site tours, talks, live music, art installations and hands-on activities.
Each month celebrates a different theme – stone, sea and sky – to honour the history of the place, its people and their aspirations. The Celebration is co-curated by Rhoda Roberts (Ceremonies & Indigenous Program Director) and Kristy Pinder (Program Manager – Entertainment).
The Celebration begins on Sunday, 6 September (11.00am-8.30pm) with the September Giant Picnic, where the spotlight will shine on the Indigenous history of Barangaroo and the traditional custodians of the land, the Gadigal People.
The Barangaroo Reserve Picnic and Opening Ceremony will tell the story of Barangaroo’s Indigenous foundations and contemporary communities, beginning with a moving Welcome Walk and an evocative opening ceremony.
Rhoda Roberts said: "Barangaroo was an important figure in our history and we are looking forward to honouring and sharing stories about her, the Gadigal and the ancestors who inhabited and shaped the Sydney area.”
The September Celebration will continue in the early evening with a Welcome Party featuring live music and dance in the Cutaway, a massive cultural space built within the park.
The Cultural space will also house a large-scale sculptural installation by contemporary artist Brook Andrew entitled Stone – The Weight of History, The Mark of Time.
Throughout spring visitors will enjoy free performances by some of Australia’s leading contemporary musicians and entertainers, including winner of Song of the Year at the 2015 National Indigenous Music Awards, Thelma Plum and musicians Casey Donovan, Pirra, Lolo Lovina, Busby Marou, and The Morrisons.
October celebrates the theme of ‘sea’ and Barangaroo Reserve’s long maritime history, paying tribute to two centuries of maritime culture and the working harbour.
The October Giant Picnic on Sunday, 4 October (11.00am-5.00pm) will feature sea shanties, roving musicians, soap-box storytellers, gypsy rhythms, kids’ workshops, junkyard sounds and pacific beats, while a kitchen featuring guest chefs will offer bespoke picnic food for those looking to spend the day at sea.
November looks to the theme of ‘sky’, welcoming the next generation and new and exciting ideas with a series of activations, contemporary music and inspiring stories to illuminate notions of possibility and the city’s aspirations for the future.
On Sunday, 1 November (11.00am-5.00pm) Sydney performers will launch the November Giant Picnic with upbeat rhythms, lifting lullabies and positive messages to families of Sydney. The next generation is firmly at the centre of the celebration with activations and kids’ workshops.
Additional talks, tours, food, entertainment, music, activities and events will take place on the remaining weekends in September, October and November.
NOTE: Barangaroo Reserve opens to the public from 9.30am on Saturday, 22 August.
EVENT DETAILS
September Giant Picnic: Sunday, 6 September at 11am-8.30pm
September additional activity: Saturday and Sunday 12-13, 19-20, and 26-27 September at 11am-5pm
October Giant Picnic: Sunday, 4 October at 11am-5pm
October additional activity: Saturday and Sunday 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25 October at 11am-5pm
November Giant Picnic: Sunday, 1 November at 11am-5pm
November additional activity: Saturday and Sunday 7-8, 14-15, and 21-22 November at 11am-5pm
A new Barangaroo website with event updates, program details and transport information is launching soon.
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Images and video of the park are available on request.
For more information or interviews, please contact:
Sarah Shields, Access PR, 02 9292 7007, 0408 283 019, sarah@accesspr.com.au
Samantha Boyd, Access PR, 02 9292 7013, 0414 408 198, samb@accesspr.com.au