Across twelve nights in February, Barangaroo will play host to a brand new festival dubbed Sunset20°N: a celebration blending music, food and culture in the picturesque surrounds of Barangaroo Reserve. Named for a strong woman and independent leader of the Cammeraygal people of Sydney, the enormous program will consist of mostly female artists from across the country, spanning various disciplines to truly highlight the immense strength and talent that regularly uplifts Australia’s cultural scene.
In terms of live music, this means punters will get a huge dose of some of the greatest in the business right now, we’re talking: Sampa the Great, Wallace, GL, Caiti Baker, Thandi Phoenix, Pirra, Mama Kin Spender and the Inner West Voices, Tesse, Tigertown, Tia Gostelow, Thelma Plum, The Morrisons, OKENYO, Emma Davis, Saskwatch and Emily Wurramara. All of whom are playing for free during the festival, in between DJ sets from Shantan Wantan Ichiban, FlexMami, Natalia, Levins, Ebony Boadu, GL and Saskwatch.
Designed by Yuwaalaraay artist and designer Lucy Simpson of Gaawaa Miyay, the entire festival site will reflect the setting of the sun and the stories of place which lie deeply embedded in Barangaroo Reserve. This will include a large-scale interactive artwork which Simpson has created in collaboration with Archrival, called The Grandmother Tree, designed to play with light, colour and movement. This focal point will set the scene for various free cultural workshops hosted by Barangaroo Delivery Authority’s Aboriginal Visitor Services guides that focus on the Aboriginal heritage and living culture of the site, focusing on weaving, music, language and possum skin art every Saturday of the festival.
Food lovers should be very satisfied with the festival’s offering, which has been curated by Bloodwood’s Claire Van Vuuren to showcase a different female guest chef every weekend. The inaugural line-up will feature Jane Strode from Merivale’s highly regarded Fred’s, Analiese Gregory who know oversees the kitchen at Hobart’s Franklin, and Thi Le of Melbourne’s popular Anchovy. Each guest chef will cook up two dishes, only offered on the weekend of their appearance on a first come, first serve basis. Van Vuuren will also be on-deck across the festival’s four weekends to showcase native ingredients in dishes like blackened chicken with Davidson plum and Sriracha, pork and pickled muntries taco and smoked greens plus freshly shucked Pambula rock oysters.
Female winemakers will be getting involved on the drinks side of things, with a list that predominantly focuses on organic, biodynamic wines from across Australia. Marrickville brewer Philter will be jumping on board for the beer lovers, and each weekend will also feature a signature cocktail using native ingredients (think saltbush margaritas and lemon myrtle tom collins).
Everything at the festival (including workshops hosted by each guest chef on Sunday afternoons) will be treated on a first come, first serve basis. Bookings are not possible.
Sunset20°N takes place every weekend throughout February at Barangaroo Reserve. Hours are from 4pm on Fridays and 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. More information can be found HERE.
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