Get ready to bring the Newtown Festival to your backyard in 2020.

For over 40 years, Newtown Festival has been a highlight in Sydney’s social calendar. Hosted on the second Sunday in November, the festival transforms the Camperdown Memorial Park into a vibrant display of colour, sound and delicious food and drinks. But in 2020, the iconic Newtown Festival will look very different.

For the first time in its history, Newtown Festival won’t be going ahead as an in-person event this November. But instead of canceling the festival altogether, the team from Newtown Neighbourhood Centre (the not-for-profit responsible for organising the event) has pivoted to create a new-look festival in 2020.

On Sunday, November 8th, 2020, Newtown Neighbourhood Centre is inviting Sydneysiders to host a Backyard Party to celebrate what the Newtown Festival means to them. The goal is for punters to get their mates together at-home for a DIY Newtown Festival in their own backyard.

To help you organise your backyard party, Newtown Neighbourhood Centre has lots of ideas on the website to help people celebrate including a local trivia game and a festival playlist. The Centre is also encouraging people to support local and to grab supplies for your food and drinks from local businesses who have supported the Centre in the past.

“The event really is a festival by the people for the people,” explains Liz Yeo, CEO of NNC. “It celebrates local music, food, arts and culture. It celebrates all this great community of Newtown and the Inner West stands for – a place where everyone is welcome and diversity is embraced”.

While there won’t be any market stalls, rides or dog shows this year, Newtown Festival At-Home offers a unique, COVID-friendly way to celebrate this annual inner west event with your mates.

To find out more and sign up to host your own Newtown Festival Backyard Party, click here. 

Feature Image Credit: James Simpson