Thousands of residents and visitors were treated to live music, stalls, artworks and kids’ activities at the Surry Hills Sydney Streets on Saturday April 5.
Crown Street was transformed into a pedestrian haven, as local shopkeepers shared their wares and special offers, and eateries brimmed with patrons enjoying a leisurely lunch in the autumn sun or one of Surry Hills’ famous coffees.
The monthly vintage markets at Shannon Reserve, hosted by the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre (https://shnc.org/), featured second-hand clothes, books, jewellery, organic honey, a gözleme stall and more, against the backdrop of performances by a range of musicians.
Further along were outdoor cafés, a kids’ circus and an obstacle course for dogs, while clowns on stilts, a marching band and other roving entertainers meandered through the crowd.
One of the highlights was a laneway activation by artist Astra Howard, creator of the Village Voices artwork now in its ninth year of activation.
Located in a narrow Surry Hills laneway off Crown Street, the artwork captures stories of everyday locals. Letters are re-arranged on the structure every two months, like a game of scrabble, making way for a new author.
Howard is passionate about offering a public platform to amplify diverse voices, stating that “Village Voices allows people to reflect on ideas, issues and aspirations, from the local to the global”.
During the festival, the 52 authors’ stories were amplified from a speaker, with their photos displayed on the wall opposite the artwork. New connections formed between authors and passers-by, with many previously unknown to one another.
You can submit your story to Village Voices via the dropbox at the artwork or online via Instagram @village_voices.
Sydney Streets events were also held in Potts Point, Darlinghurst, Pyrmont, Glebe and Redfern. Check out the City of Sydney’s Whatson page (https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/programs/sydney-streets) for more to come later this year.
