10 year anniversary for Africultures festival

From small beginnings, the Africultures festival is expecting more than 20,000 people at their 10-year anniversary celebrations.

Africultures Event at Wyatt park in Lidcombe will have it’s 10th anniversary this year. Pictured is (left) Tinsae Yigletu with Gabriella Thompson and Naomi Mehari.

When the Africultures festival started in 2008, organiser Fatma Isir thought it would be a small community gathering in appreciation of her Somali background.

Ten years on, and that small gathering has turned into a 20,000-strong event that spans the entire African continent.

“(When I) started the event it was a small community event with an attendance of 2000 people,” Ms Isir said.

“The festival grows bigger and more colourful each year with more people, both African and the wider community being involved.”

The 10th anniversary of the festival will showcase food, drumming workshops, afrocentric fashion and hair styling and performers from 40 of Africa’s 53 sovereign nations.

Bright colours are on show each year at the festival.

Dancers entertains the crowd.

Tinsae Vigletu and Selome Gebremaram serve up the coffee at the Africultures Festival

“Africultures offers an opportunity to showcase the diversity of Africa which is unique in Australia.” she said.

For many attending the event from an African background, Ms Isir said the day was about connecting to their homeland, with a trip to Lidcombe’s Wyatt Park a much easier journey than travelling to Africa.

“Africultures is important to celebrate and connect with our communities as our cultures are so important to us, we are proud to share our traditions and culture, showing Sydney the brilliance of Africa,” she said.

The free event is at Wyatt Park, Lidcombe, on Saturday, from 11am to 6pm. Details: africultures.com.au.