PACK AN OPEN MIND FOR A JOURNEY INTO A WORLD OF THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
I currently live in Penrith, in Western Sydney, and I was traveling in on the train with a friend to The Rocks Village Bizarre opening night party. On the way, we were lamenting on how we wished we lived in the city to be, on a nightly basis, so close to a sometimes hidden treasure trove of culture, art, variety and general ‘coolness’.
As we walked into the funky, energetic and almost ‘other-wordly’ environment of The Rocks Square, my friend and I were instantly mentally calculating how we could afford a cosy city apartment the following week, preferably with a Harbour view.
We were headed to The Fine Food Store, hidden in one of the many small alleyways and nooks and crannies of The Rocks. After a bit of a search and the requisite asking of kind strangers for directions, we found the alley we were looking for.
The first spectacle we encountered as we walked into the alley was ‘The Irascible Dr Mackellar‘. As I furiously tried to look up what ‘irascible‘ meant on my phone, Dr Mackellar, an elderly gent in a smashing top hat and tails, was entertaining the mass of onlookers with one of his fantastical discoveries. It was at this point that I realised; we weren’t in Kansas anymore.
We then flaunted our VIP pass like a tiresome retread of that scene in ‘Wayne’s World‘ and entered an area that we declared was “way too cool and sophisticated for us”. However, it was there that we met some of the lovely people responsible for pulling The Village Bizarre together and found out a bit of detail on the event that will be imparted shortly.
It was also there, that I discovered that The Rocks has a brewery with it’s own beer, which was awesome, AND was offered the best salted chicken I have ever tasted, and probably the reason chicken was invented, just quietly.
After pretending we were important in the party area, we ventured out to walk around The Rocks and made some great discoveries.
Energised by a funky soundtrack from some of the best musicians and DJs in the world, we walked among a bustling festival of markets full of treasures, clothes and collectibles, and came across many “need to be seen to be believed” sideshows, covering all things magical, playful and wonderfully grotesque.
In the Rocks Village Bizarre you can;
- Have a whirlwind of a ‘One Person Party’ (highly recommended by an excitable friend we made on our journey)
- Dance the night away in a silent disco
- Be shaved with a blade by an authentic old-school barber while passers by watch, and decide if they’re game enough
- Get a taste of speed dating at it’s most frenzied and hilarious
- Venture into the world of the curious and grotesque in The Cabinet Of Curiosities
- Party like a 1920’s socialite in The Gin Mill Social (where my friend and I again felt inferior in the face of so much stylish sophistication)
- Get a ‘fast fortune’ told by The Argyle Oracle
- Save the environment and have a laugh as you power an outdoor cinema on a stationary bike, or simply stand and watch, and nominate your favourite You Tube clips to entertain the crowd. This was a highlight for us as we discovered a particularly guilty dog, that I probably could have watched for hours.
- And much more, that you’ll have to discover for yourself!
If this journey of discovery and wonder makes you hungry, and chances are it will with so many gorgeous aromas in the air, then enjoy the selection of fine food stalls with cuisines from all around the world, that will satisfy all cravings, savoury and sweet. Hot tip: The spinach and fetta gozleme is probably the best I’ve had.
Entry is free. Some attractions have a small cost, but we’re mostly talking loose change for a unique experience, leaving plenty in your wallet for great food and drink.
So get on down to The Rocks Village Bizarre from 6.30pm - 10pm every Friday night till 20th December. Make sure you pack an open mind and a willingness to have fun and try new things, and you will walk away smiling, wanting to go back the next week, if only to try another tasty treat.
Visit www.therocks.com for the program and more information.
By
Dane Hiser
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@DaneHiser on Twitter
Visit: www.danehiser.wordpress.com
