Sydney’s Serviced With October Spice

If your taste buds prefer to be battered with spices, then you must be in Sydney from the 23 - 26 October when the Parramasala Cultural Festival takes place. Your tongue will now be in the thick of dancing while you enjoy music, film and flavours slamming together in perfect harmony.

 

Presenting the inaugural Tourism Week of India, the event will entertain you with Chai Tea stalls and the opening parade on the Friday night. The song of the opener is Mida Wawasi (Welcome) by a Colombian dance band called Cumbiamuffin. Yes, no typo there, we triple checked it. 

The rest of the weekend includes chanting, food galore and yoga. Make sure you’re up early on the Saturday, right before the sparrows, for a Morning Masala breakfast at 8.00 am. With food in your stomach, yoga to ensure your chakras are in full swing, the Saturday night is a ladies focused extravaganza. They’ll showcase their Masala Divas performances alongside Curry Puff Daddy throwing in some hip hop. Again, no joke. These performers are maxing out the stage names and we’re loving their creativity. 

By Sunday, in the thick of the festival, you can let your body rest while you saunter through the Masala Markets. If you didn’t know anything about the origins of spices, this will be your educational afternoon. You can learn about spice gardens, gape while rice art takes place and the history of the ingredients. A random Bollywood dance flash mob may come up behind you so don’t be alarmed. It’s their job to not tell you the exact time they’ll infiltrate your afternoon. Prepare to be happily surprised. 

Alongside the festivities, the movie screenings is absolutely a must see. With a South Asian focus including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the Cinema Thali in Raffertys Theater will celebrate young Australian short stories as part of the My Masala film competition.

If you’re not full to the brim already with events, remember to include a peek at the Adorned photography exhibition at the Riverside Theater foyer. It has a strong focus on Parramatta’s diverse cultural community with creative workshops.

Keep your mouth shut as you enjoy the ferry ride to Cremorne Point, simply to contain those bouncing taste buds while you head to Cremorne Point Manor. Awarded with a fifth consecutive Certificate of Excellence by Tripadvisor, sit back and enjoy the stunning Harbour skyline. The views will make your mouth water, all over again.