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featuring: Grace Jones, The Gypsy Queens & Kings, Santogold, The Cat Empire, Dan Zanes & Friends, Fuzzy Stages, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, A-Trak, Java, Uber Lingua, Mikelangelo & the Black Sea Gentlemen, The Big Tassie Devil, ERTH, Sydney's best breakdance crews, The Cycologists, Music is Magic!, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Chunky Move, Australian Dance Theatre + more to be announced
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various venues, Sydney
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Time: 2pm - 11pm
Following the enormous success of its inaugural year, Festival First Night returns with an epic, all-embracing celebration of our Festival and our city to mark the opening of the 2009 Festival. With the streets again cleared of cars, the Festival explodes onto open-air stages across the CBD. Major international artists from all over the world kick off three weeks of inspiration, jubilation and perspiration, giving everyone an opportunity to catch some of the biggest names in the Festival for free.
Our theme for 2009 is ‘Sydney Dances’. There will be irresistibly funky music from around the world, a precinct created by director Nigel Jamieson featuring performances from some of Australia’s greatest dance companies and one of the largest choreographed events ever performed – of which you will be a part.
The Domain plays host to the legendary Grace Jones in her first public Australian concert for 20 years. Jones has recently emerged with a blistering new album and a visually stunning stage show to match, charting her extraordinary catalogue of hits.
Elsewhere the indomitable Fuzzy light up our streets with the incredible Santogold. You'll be on your feet dancing to The Cat Empire and swinging to the Balkan beats of the celebrated The Gypsy Queens & Kings. DJ collective Uber Lingua are back, creating a maze of global sounds winding around the City Laneways, while the impossibly funky Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings head up a celebration of the recent funk/soul revival.
From 2pm to 6pm Hyde Park is given over to families, with concerts by Dan Zanes & Friends, the Australian Youth Choir and the Sydney Youth Orchestra. We will also need lots of small hands to help in the construction of a giant sculpture of the beloved Tasmanian Devil.
With so much going on, Festival First Night is the ideal time to visit Sydney.
GETTING THERE:
For information on road closures, alternate traffic routes and parking restrictions visit
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au
or call 132 701 closer to the event.
CityRail will operate to a regular weekend timetable.
WHICH TRAIN STATION IS BEST FOR ME?
* City Laneways - use Circular Quay and Wynyard
* Martin Place and Elizabeth St - use Martin Place or Wynyard
* The Domain - use Circular Quay or St James
* Macquarie Street - use St James, Martin Place or Museum
* Hyde Park - use Town hall, St James or Museum
* College Street – use St James, Town Hall or Museum
Sydney Buses will operate additional bus services on major routes.
There will be changes to bus timetables and stops.
Sydney Ferries services will operate to a regular Saturday timetable.
For detailed public transport information visit
http://www.131500.info/events
or call 131 500 closer to the event.
RIDE YOUR BIKE: Cycle to Festival First Night and park your bike for free!
City of Sydney and Bikes NSW are providing free bike racks at cnr Elizabeth and St James road from 3pm -11pm.
BYO alcohol is not permitted in the CBD: Food and beverages will be on sale throughout the day
Be sun smart: wear sunscreen and a hat and drink plenty of water
Home is the best place to leave: glass, pets, skateboards and rollerblades
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