Fusion Festival unrivalled success

Almost 30,000 people flocked to Mills Park at a bigger, bolder and better Fusion Food and Culture Festival across two huge nights last weekend.

The annual festival celebrates the diversity of the City of Gosnells community, which includes residents from over 160 different countries, speaking more than 155 different languages.

Mayor Terresa Lynes said the success of Fusion Festival in previous years had prompted its expansion to two nights for the first time this year, held on Friday and Saturday.

“The overwhelming popularity of the Fusion Food and Culture Festival really demonstrates how passionate the City of Gosnells community is about embracing, sharing and celebrating our diversity,” she said.

“Fusion showcases the vibrancy and positivity of our community to the whole of Perth. It’s an incredible event to be part of and the enthusiastic response from the crowds was great to see.”

Crowds were entertained by an array of multicultural performances, including headline acts Mama Kin on Friday night, and Grace Barbé and Crucial Rockers on Saturday night.

Attendees also enjoyed plenty of interactive cultural activities, roving entertainment, carnival rides and a wide variety of international foods, all culminating in a fireworks display each night.

Local community groups also played a big part in Fusion, sharing their cultures through music, art, displays, traditional dance and costumes. Festival-goers were able to make Chinese lanterns, have a go at turban tying, try Egyptian belly dancing and more.

In the neighbouring Mills Park Centre, celebrity chef Brendan Pang entertained the crowds at an exclusive satellite event, A Taste of Fusion, demonstrating his renowned Chinese-Mauritian cooking and providing samples of dishes created especially for the Festival.

Anyone who attended the event is encouraged to complete a survey at gosnells.wa.gov.au/fusion. Survey respondents will be in the running to win a $100 Coles Myer voucher, or one of two $50 Coles Myer vouchers.