A street party celebrating the best of African culture will be held in the heart of Footscray this Saturday.
Emerge In The West will highlight the west’s emerging cultures and talents when it brings the sights, sounds and flavours of Africa to Nicholson Street mall.
Commemorating UNESCO’S World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, the festival will feature artists from African communities that have made Maribyrnong their home and performances from all corners of the African continent.
From noon to 5pm, the event will feature food, as well as storytelling, song and spoken word from Guinea, South Africa and Senegal to Tanzania, South Sudan and beyond.
Audiences will enjoy an Africa’s Got Talent contest and a fashion parade featuring contemporary Afro-Australian fashion.
Performers will include the Somali Peace Band, Blak Roots and Koné Express.
Renowned Ethiopian and Sudanese singers Bitsat Seyoum and Madup Chol will perform traditional and modern works while dance acts will include young crews Zero Degrees, Legacy Girls and Special Crew, along with the explosive Asanti Dance Theatre and Seble Girma.
Festivities will continue on Tuesday with an African film screening at the Footscray Library from 5.45-7.30pm featuring short films from around Africa.
