New Parramatta music festival showcases Western Sydney talent

Parramatta will be transformed into a live music hub when City of Parramatta Council presents The Area music festival from 20 to 22 September 2019 as part of the Sydney Fringe Festival. 

Over three days, more than 60 Western Sydney artists including Hooligan Hefs, Shogun and The Sheets, Party Dozen, Low Life, Laura Jean, Rops 1 and special guests Totally Unicorn, will perform across the City.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Andrew Wilson said the dynamic festival line-up represents the diversity of voices and cultures in Western Sydney.  

“This is the third year the Sydney Fringe Festival has expanded to include the City of Parramatta and we are thrilled to showcase everything our vibrant cultural scene has to offer,” Cr Wilson said.

Curated by The Area Movement and Beatdisc Records, The Area music festival will take place at local venues including Parramatta Town Hall, Butter, and Milky Lane.

From early afternoon each day, festival-goers of all ages will experience a non-stop showcase of innovative sounds, such as Indigenous hip hop, soulful pop, and the best garage music from Sydney’s west. 

“The Area music festival is an initiative I am proud to support. Over one big weekend in September, our City’s bars and restaurants will be alive with original music,” Lord Mayor Cr Wilson said.

“Not only will the festival give our young musicians great local venues to perform in, but it will also help support Parramatta’s small businesses and night-time economy.”

Sydney Fringe CEO and Festival Director Kerri Glasscock said The Area music festival embodies the spirit of the Sydney Fringe Festival.  

“Our Sydney is vibrant, experimental, expressive, playful, fun, creative, connected and diverse. Sydney Fringe Festival provides an annual snapshot of how Sydney feels, where we are and where we are heading,” Ms Glasscock said.

“The line-up for The Area is a reflection of this ethos. In true Fringe style, the 2019 program will highlight all that Sydney’s dynamic cultural sector has to offer, stretching into Western Sydney and across 21 postcodes.”

The Area music festival is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Now in its 10th year, the Sydney Fringe Festival is the largest independent arts festival in NSW. This year’s diverse program, which runs from 1 to 30 September, will feature hundreds of performances, exhibitions and large-scale events right across Sydney. 

For more information, visit the event page or Sydney Fringe Festival.