Culture Mix - Crown Street Mall

Crown Street Mall will be buzzing with activity. Visit the Bazaar for your shopping fix, the Food Fair for some tasty treats, or Culture Kids for younger people, or check out the performances on the World Stage. Explore the program for each location below.

This stage is a bold and beautiful celebration of culture, where traditional performances come to life with passion and pride. Expect vibrant colours, powerful creativity, and a whole lot of heart.

Show your support, join the celebration, and don’t miss the spectacular Pasifika Showcase Finale.

Time	Program	Description
11.30 - 11.45am	Chinese Australian Service Society Seniors Social Group	Cultural song and dance performances celebrating the richness of Chinese traditions.
11.50am - 12pm	Balar Malar Tamil School	Tamil school students and teachers present classical dances that will crescendo into a live performance featuring the Parai – a 3,000-year-old musical instrument.
12.05 - 12.20pm	Kugangs	A group of First Nations Aboriginal performers of all ages, who play the yidaki, sharing songs and stories.
12.30 - 12.45pm	Lion Dance by Australian Yau Kung Mun Chinese Martial Arts Association	Traditional Lion Dance starts its performance here, and then weaves its way down Crown St Mall to the Arts Precinct.
12.45 - 12.50pm	Tempo Dance	Jinxiu Dance, also known as The Brocade Dance, with roots deeply embedded in traditional Chinese culture.
12.55 - 1.10pm	Blackbird Academy of Irish Dance	Traditional Irish jigs, reels and celi dances.
1.15 - 1.30pm	Harmony of Nations Multicultural Choir	Multicultural youth choir performance.
1.35 - 1.55pm	Shivagarjana	Traditional Dhol and Tasha drumming.
2 - 2.06pm	Teresa Kearney	Singing performance by Teresa Kearney, a proud Aboriginal student and performer.
2.10 - 2.15pm	Tempo Dance	Madame Green and White Snake dance, showcases the elegance of Chinese dance, highlighting historical narratives passed down through generations.
2.20 - 2.50pm	Gumaraa Aboriginal Experience	Cultural dances inspired by native animals, the land and a deep connection between people, spirit and Country.
2.55 - 3.10pm	Atif Badria	Darbouka solo percussion performance.
3.15 - 3.30pm	Culture Mix Street Parade Workshop	Join this fun musical workshop led by samba band Bateria 61 and Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Community Ensembles Program - all welcome - bring an instrument to play in the Parade!
3.30 - 3.45pm	Culture Mix Street Parade	Be part of this exciting musical parade led by samba band Bateria 61, the Samambia dancers, and musicians from Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Community Ensembles Program.
3.45 - 4pm	Wollongong Pelangi Indonesia Community Language School	Indonesian angklung, song and dance performances.
4.05 - 4.10pm	Tempo Dance	Chinese celebration dance.
4.15 - 4.30pm	African Women's Choir	Women’s singing group bringing fun, smiles and African culture.
4.35 - 4.55pm	Street Beatz Hip Hop	World medal winning Hip-Hop dance crew bringing a high-energy performance, empowering young dancers to express themselves and build confidence through movement.
5 - 7pm	Pasifika Showcase	Celebrating the legacy of traditional Pasifika music and dance featuring cultural performances from Tonga, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Aotearoa/NZ and Cook Islands plus a colourful costume fashion show and interactive dancing.

Thank you to our MC's Sheron Sultan and Isa.

A cultural marketplace featuring stalls from diverse multicultural backgrounds displaying or selling arts, crafts, artworks, food and more. Both traditional and contemporary items will be on display or for sale.

The marketplace will feature a strong representation of Aboriginal and other First Nations groups, as well as showcase Wollongong’s diverse cultural groups and service providers.

The Cultural Bazaar and Food Fair will be open from 11.30am - 7pm.

Cultural Bazaar Stalls

Stall Name	Description
Buribun Art	An Aboriginal owned and operated business selling Aboriginal paintings, woven art, shell work, jewellery, home decor, accessories and wearable cultural items.
Arts Out of Africa	African crafts, statues, sculptures and carvings.
Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra	MCCI will provide information on services to support diverse cultural communities in the region and a hands-on activity that showcases our diverse community.
Real Life Community Group	Representing Disability Culture across the Illawarra selling handmade items such as local Illawarra photography on cards, earrings, crochet items and more.
Q Bella Interiors & Fashion	Bags, jewellery and handicrafts.
Yindyamarra Cultural Experience	Traditional Aboriginal handcrafted artwork including Yidaki's (didgeridoo's), Bilma's (clapsticks), hunting and returning Barangs (boomerangs), emu callers, canvas artworks and Gulamans (coolamons).
Liseli Creations	Handmade headbands and accessories for all occasions, made with ethnic African print fabric that celebrates culture and style.
Caressa Designs	A range of Aboriginal clothing, accessories, original artworks and prints of original artworks.
Aussie Didg Arts and Craft	Handmade Aboriginal towels, book covers, tea towels, oven mitts, wheat bags, shoulder bags, aprons, ironing board covers, baby bibs, lanyards, key fobs and more.
Ukrainian Women Association Dreams Branch	Ukrainian dolls, souvenirs, Ukrainian costumes, head bands, necklaces, bracelets, pictures and more!
ROKHAK Twins	Representing the rich heritage of Baluchi culture from Zahedan, Iran. Each handmade jewellery piece features Sozandozi - a traditional Baluchi embroidery known for its vibrant colours and detailed patterns.
A Safer NSW Together - NSW Police	NSW Police proudly represent a diverse array of cultural backgrounds. Celebrating our rich and varied cultures through engaging activities, information packs, fun games and informative displays.
Vitenje Gift Store	African practical lifestyle accessories with African fabric prints and patterns, with headwraps, headbands, hats, journals, umbrellas, children’s clothes and more.
Illawarra Potters Society – Mark Making in Clay	Try some mark making on clay and view a display of works from a community workshop exploring mark making from different cultures.

Food Fair (opposite World Stage)

Stall Name	Description
Chile Chos	Traditional Chilean street food.
Balinese Spice Magic	Featuring authentic Balinese dishes made with bold spices and locally sourced ingredients.
Mama Sela's Polynesian Treats	Get ready for a taste of the Pacific! Mama Sela’s Polynesian Treats brings the flavours of Tonga with savoury delights, island sweets, and refreshing Otais.

A series of free engaging outdoor activities and drop-in workshops for young children and families, which explore multiculturalism through arts, crafts, dancing and more.

Lots of fun for kids with Culture Kids, Henna station and free Culture Mix Tattoos.

Time	Program	Description
11.30am - 6pm	Make Your Own Musical Instrument	Drop in to Big Fat Smile’s space and create your own instrument, then use your instrument to join the Culture Mix Street Parade leaving at 3.30pm from the World Stage.
11.30am - 6pm	Silent Disco and Costume PlaY!	Presented by Healthy Cities Australia-Play Illawarra. Try on awesome costumes, choose your music, dance and play your way. Snap a Polaroid to take home the memories.
11.30am - 6pm	The IMS Language Lounge	Come in and join staff from Illawarra Multicultural Services. See how many languages spoken in the Illawarra you can recognise and identify.
11.30am - 6pm	Nature is Everyone’s Culture	Drop-in activities by Wollongong Botanic Garden’s crew - Let’s Build a Tree Together and What is Wollongong’s Favourite Tree.
11.30am - 6pm	Perpetual Chorus - Culture Mix Interactive Mural	Join artist Mignon Steele and make your mark on this large-scale community mural that celebrates culture, individuality and belonging.
11.30am - 6pm	Henna Station	Free henna applications by henna artists from many different cultures.
11am - 7pm	Culture Mix Tattoos	Free Culture Mix tattoos available from our festival volunteers at Information Stands.

This year, the streets will come alive with the parades and roving performances from Crown Street Mall travelling to the Arts Precinct.

From the beloved Lion Dance, weaving through the crowd with colour and energy, to our Culture Mix Street Parade, led by Bateria 61. The Samambia dancers along with the spirited crew from Wollongong’s Conservatorium of Music are guaranteed to get you moving to the beat!

Join the parade with your own instrument or make one on the day at the Culture Kids area. Come along to the workshop before the parade at the World Stage to learn the moves and grooves.

Time	Program	Description
11am - 12pm	Han Dynasty Roving Performance Group	Dressed in elegant Tang-style Hanfu made of silk and linen, they showcase the beauty of traditional Chinese culture.
12.30 - 12.45pm	Lion Dance: Australian Yau Kung Mun Association Roving	Traditional Lion Dance weaves its way down Crown St and into the Arts Precinct.
12.45 - 1pm	Lion Dance: Australian Yau Kung Mun Association Performance	Traditional Lion Dance acrobatic performance in the Arts Precinct.
3- 4pm	Han Dynasty Roving Performance Group	Dressed in elegant Tang-style Hanfu made of silk and linen, they showcase the beauty of traditional Chinese culture.
3.15 - 3.30pm	Culture Mix Street Parade Workshop	Join this fun musical workshop led by samba band Bateria 61 and musicians from Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Community Ensembles Program - all welcome - bring an instrument to play in the Parade!
3.30 - 3.45pm	Culture Mix Street Parade	Be part of this exciting musical parade led by samba band Bateria 61, the Samambia dancers, and musicians from Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Community Ensembles Program.
3.45 – 4pm	Bateria 61 and the Samambia Dancers Performance	Join Bateria 61 and the Samambia dancers in the Arts Precinct on the green.
4.30 - 5.30pm	Han Dynasty Roving Performance Group	Dressed in elegant Tang-style Hanfu made of silk and linen, they showcase the beauty of traditional Chinese culture.

Spanning across existing hoarding panels in the lower Crown Street Mall, this large-scale gestural mural called Perpetual Chorus was created especially for Culture Mix by local artist Mignon Steele.

Festival goers are invited to contribute to the mural across the day in collaboration with the artist - adding their individual mark to the mix, bringing detail and patternation to the artwork by applying paint with purpose-made stamps.

Mignon’s mural explores the interconnectivity of culture, experience through intuitive and responsive mark-making, and the musicality of painting.

Make your mark between 11am - 6pm.

Participating Businesses

Look out for our CBD businesses in Crown Street Mall for special festival offerings on the day!

There's plenty more to explore at Culture Mix! Check out the program in the Arts Precinct or Lower Crown Street.

...and more!

There’s lots more to look forward to. Visit the Culture Mix webpage or check out our Facebook event page for regular updates.

#CultureMixWollongong

Culture Mix is an accessible event.

Our supporters

Supported by

Culture Mix is made possible thanks to a NSW Government grant.

Community support

Wollongong City Council would like to acknowledge the support of our Multicultural Community Advisory Group who guided the development of Culture Mix 2025. Representatives were: Illawarra Multicultural Services - Ann Burbrook; Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra - Zahra Javadi; Karenni Community and Multicultural Health - Francis Kayphoe; Indian Community and Coordinare - Smriti Jaiswal; Pasifika Community - Marion Teao; and People with Disability - Eren Maltby.

We’d also like to thank Council’s Aboriginal Reference Group for their advice and support in this project.

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