A towering five-metre winged humanoid puppet, known as The Messenger, will make its Western Australian debut at the City of Gosnells Fusion Food and Culture Festival in November.
With the event just three weeks away and after attracting a record-breaking crowd last year, more than 40,000 people are again expected to make their way to Mills Park in Beckenham from 4 pm to 9 pm on Friday, November 8, and Saturday, November 9, to see the puppet and celebrate the rich multiculturalism of the community.
The futuristic archangel-style puppet will be illuminated by LED lighting and brought to life by eight performers and puppeteers from an Australian multi-disciplinary creative company, A Blank Canvas, offering audiences a unique and immersive experience.
Across the two nights, the festival will also showcase live performances on the Fusion Stage and Great Beginnings Viva Stage, alongside roving entertainment, a Global Village of diverse stallholders, subsidised carnival rides, activities for children and youth, and food trucks offering a variety of international cuisines, all celebrating cultural diversity.
Following the vast crowds last year, Mayor Terresa Lynes said that the start time had been adjusted to 4 pm each day to allow more people to get to the festival with ease and is excited to see the huge puppet in action.
“We are thrilled to have The Messenger puppet at Fusion, which will provide the perfect setting for this awe-inspiring figure to make its WA debut,” Mayor Lynes said.
“The City is proud to have such a vibrant, culturally diverse community, and we are excited to bring together this brilliant combination of food, entertainment and activities for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy,”
Also scheduled to perform on stage at the festival are the Indonesian dance troupe Selendang Sutra, the Middle Eastern dance group Zahara Dance Company, and belly dancers from Zahara Dance Group.
Energetic Japanese performers Taiko On will light up the stage on Friday night, while Brazilian-inspired SambOzzy will captivate audiences on Saturday night, leading up to a spectacular fireworks finale on both nights.
Attendees are encouraged to use public transport to get to the festival or take advantage of the free shuttle bus service provided between Mills Park and Maddington Central shopping centre throughout the event, with all passengers having a chance to win a $500 gift card for use at Maddington Central.
The Fusion Food and Culture Festival is a City of Gosnells event sponsored by Lotterywest and supported by Great Beginnings and Maddington Central shopping centre.
For more information about the festival and other upcoming events in the City, visit their website at gosnells.wa.gov.au.
