Willoughby’s Emerge Festival features unmissable community events including live performances, art exhibitions, cultural experiences, creative workshops, artisan experiences and outdoor sport and leisure activities as well as live music sites from 2 September to 9 October. Take a look at our picks of the best community events at this year’s Emerge Festival!
Emerge Festival is the North Shore’s largest annual festival, and in 2023 it offers plenty of events to keep the whole family entertained. Head along for orienteering, croquet, fun runs, distillery tours, puppet shows, live theatre and much more. Here’s your guide to some of the best Emerge Festival events to pop in the diary.
Willoughby City Council Mayor Tanya Taylor says the Emerge festival is a great way to celebrate Willoughby’s vibrant community and get out and reconnect with neighbours and friends.
“This iconic community festival marks not only the fact that Spring has sprung, but also celebrates the people of Willoughby. For five weeks, we will come together and celebrate our vibrant culture and the best entertainment that Willoughby has to offer.” – Tanya Taylor, Willoughby City Council Mayor
Emerge Festival: Best events for kids & families
Chatwood StreetFair
Chatswood StreetFair is the North Shore’s biggest Street Party! It’s the showcase event of the Emerge Festival which attracts tens of thousands of people from all over Sydney. The main streets of Chatswood are closed off for more than 120 stalls, a colourful community parade, entertainment stages, rides and many more activities.
- When: Saturday 2 September, 10am-6pm
- Where: Chatswood CBD
- Cost: Free
- More information
Preschoolers’ September Bush Scramble
The Preschoolers’ September Bush Scramble is a fun, easy nature walk for preschoolers and their carers on Wednesday 20 September.
‘Kee, kee!’ squeals the Black Cockatoo. Did you know that Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo’s visit this area? Meet Tilly the Tawny Frogmouth and her other feathery friends, and learn why they all love to visit Flat Rock Gully.
Join for a flat, easy bushwalk (prams welcome) followed by story time and craft. Bring your child’s hat, drink and snack.
- When: Wednesday 20 September | 10am – 11.30am
- Where: Meet in the bush car park after turning right at the very end of Small Street
- Cost: Free event but you must register.
- More information
The Addams Family
The Addams Family’ features an original story, and it’s every father’s nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family – a man her parents have never met. Plus if that weren’t enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before – keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents.
- When: Friday 15 September – Wednesday 20 September
- Location: Zenith Theatre and Convention Centre, Cnr Railway Street and McIntosh Street, Chatswood
- Tickets: From $55
- More information
Multicultural Spring Fair
The annual Multicultural Spring Fair at the Willoughby Uniting Church is on Saturday 9 September. There’ll be something for everyone – from entertainment for the kids, to demonstrations in origami, cooking, calligraphy and flower arranging, as well as demonstrations and performances by local multicultural dance groups and choirs. All this, and lots of stalls where you can pick up a bargain – plants, books, toys, cakes and more.
- When: Saturday 9 September, 9am-3pm
- Location: Willoughby Uniting Church, 10 Clanwilliam St Willoughby, Willoughby
- Cost: Free
- More information
Emerge Festival: Arts & Cultural Events
Live at Lunch – From Vienna with Love
Pacific Opera’s Live at Lunch success in 2022 sees a superb new vocal quartet of rising opera stars return with works by Strauss, Kreisler, Mozart, Stolz, Schubert, and Lehár. Joined by popular pianist John Martin and flutist artistic director Jane Rutter, this concert is a further tribute to Live at Lunch patron, conductor Maestro Richard Bonynge.
- When: Wednesday 6 September, 12pm-1pm
- Location: The Concourse Concert Hall, 409 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood
- Cost: From $33 – $64
- More information
The Hen House
The Hen House is a new music theatre work weaving extraordinary, humorous, and tragic multi-lingual stories of European-Australian female migrant factory workers with distinctly live and loud original music nodding towards Australian pub-rock bands of the time. A fierce, funny, and electrifying experience.
Created and performed by dynamic sister-duo Josipa Draisma (Founder/Creative Director, In Wild Company) and Mara Knezevic (Playlist, PYT Fairfield), with director Anthea Williams (Hir, Sydney Theatre Awards Best Director), The Hen House is a fierce and funny migrant story that pays homage to the stories of European migration in the 60s and 70s and explores the dignity and comedy of the female working-class experience.
- When: Friday 22 September, 7pm – 8.30pm
- Location: The Concourse Pavilion, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood
- Cost: $23-$39
- More information
Emerge Live at Night
Whatever your tastes, with a multicultural and diverse line up of acts every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, there will be something for everyone. Sit back and chill to some smooth jazz with a distinctly European feel, or get up and move your hips to some Latin grooves!
- When: Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 21 September – 8 October, 5pm -8pm
- Locations:
Bellambi Street Square, Northbridge
Wilkes Avenue, Artarmon
The Iceworks, High Street, Willoughby - Cost: Free
Emerge Festival: Events for adults
We Don’t Have Time For This – Live
The girl’s from the runaway hit podcast We Don’t Have Time For This are going on tour with an all-singing, all-dancing, ‘dilemon’ filled evening celebrating motherhood, female friendship and what it means to be a woman.
Grab your besties and join Gem and Revz for the ultimate Mum’s night out (and miss bedtime to boot!)
- When: Friday 1 September, 7.30pm-9.30pm
- Location: Theatre at The Concourse, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood
- Cost: $89
- More information
Spring Fest at Finders Distillery
Each Saturday in September, Finders Distillery is celebrating the return of Spring with special Spring-themed drinks and a fresh new food menu to enjoy with live entertainment. Grab a few friends and book the Uber.
- When: Saturdays from 3pm, from 2 September – 30 September.
- Location: Finders Distillery, 12/6 Herbert Street, St Leonards 2065
- Cost: Free
- More information
SEE THE FULL LIST OF EMERGE FESTIVAL EVENTS
