After a 13-year hiatus, the Northcote Rise Festival is back to take over High Street and showcase local Northcote artists, entertainers, vendors, and more! With less than 3 weeks to go, on Sunday 18th February, Northcote’s iconic main street will be transformed from James Street to Separation Street into a vibrant pedestrian-only zone with free entertainment for families and those of all ages.
Supported by the Victorian Government to revitalise local businesses and the community, the festival will take place across seven lively entertainment zones filled with the precinct’s best traders and vendors.
Andrew Mansfield, Northcote Business Association President says, “We are extremely honoured for the support from the state government and the broader Melbourne community in celebrating our precinct and our Northcote Rise traders and businesses who have worked tirelessly to build the High St Northcote we all love. We are so excited that through this grant we’ll be able to highlight our local community’s impressive mix of independent traders to deliver a fun festival environment of food, music, and retail. Our traders are responsible for giving so much to our community culture and it’ll be great to see people come out to support them.”
A must-visit festival for music lovers, the Northcote Rise Festival boasts over 300 entertainers and 70 local artists performing throughout the main stage and four mini-stages playing everything from indie pop, rhythm, and blues to Latin rock and jazz.
Key performances will include Melbourne-based post-punk grunge band Moody Beaches, and up-and-coming six-piece group Mature Themes’ unique take on 90s-influenced psychedelia. Emerging pop artist
Jacqui Lumsden will also be performing exploring heartbreak and coming-of-age with her dreamy blend of ‘80s synth and ‘90s guitars and rock drums. Bringing some beats after a three-year Australia tour, Melbourne-based psychedelic pop band Sunfruits will be returning highly praised and ready to play in their home city.
For food lovers, the Northcote Rise Festival is not one to miss with a variety of tasty food and beverages whipped up by local traders, bound to please even the most unique taste buds! For those interested in expanding their cooking knowledge and skills, the locally acclaimed Greek restaurant and cocktail bar Dante will be running sustainability-focused kitchen presentations that are sure to inspire a range of new dishes at home.
The perfect day out for kids, the festival offers a range of entertainment for children in its Family Zone. Featuring magical performances from the Amazing Mr. Twist sure to have all on the edge of their seats as he performs humorous mystifying feats. With hilarious interactive story time from the Spencer Street Drag Queen, the performance is bound to get the little ones giggling! Little Feet Music will also be running an educational workshop where budding musicians can get their groove on singing songs.
Jam-packed with family-friendly activities, there will be arts and crafts stations, cookie decorating, face-painting, a petting zoo, and a Garden Adventure where kids can decorate pot plants and plant seeds.
Board game store Mind Games will also be open offering a LEGO Masters Workshop run by the iconic Miller and Jordan from LEGO Masters Season 1. Taking place on Mitchell Street, community sports activations such as football, tennis, and baseball will keep those of all ages entertained.
Liliana Sanelli, CEO of The Perfect Event Group says, “Producing the Northcote Rise Festival and being able to give back to my community and collaborate with local businesses and artists has been an incredible experience and privilege. Running my own business in the Northcote area, I know how important it is to support local initiatives, and what better way to do that than to enjoy a fun day out with family and friends at this treasured festival.”
A vibrant day out for the whole family to enjoy diverse food and entertainment while supporting the local community, the Northcote Rise Festival is not one to miss!
For tickets and more information, please visit North Coterise Festival.
SheSociety is a site for the women of Australia to share our stories, our experiences, shared learnings and opportunities to connect.
Leave a Reply