Maroochydore’s Ocean Street will lighten spirits this Easter Sunday with a free family fun filled event that will be jam packed with three stages filled with live World music, amazing artwork and stunning food from local cafés and restaurants.
The second annual Ocean Street World Festival is a not for profit event undertaken by the Maroochydore Revitalisation Association with the assistance of SolBar.
With over 8,000 people enjoying the festival last year, event organizers are expecting well over 10,000 people to soak up an array of activities including an art exhibition, fine food and live music from a diverse range of musicians including the internationally renowned music troupe Watussi.
Watussi are a well-traveled troupe of Latino-tinged rockers that have shared the stage with Santana, recorded with legendary New Orleans blues pianist Jon Cleary and recently played a double bill show with Cuban master percussionist Pedro Martinez. Watussi rose to fame after their debut album was nominated for an ARIA in 2008. With the jiving rhythms of horns and shaking base lines, Watussi will be one of the many highlights of the festival.
Maroochydore Revitalisation Association spokesperson Joe Riba said the event would appeal to the whole family with a range of great musicians, food stalls, artisans and children’s activities.
“The event has attracted many talented artists and it is very rare to have so much diversity and talent in the one location here on the Sunshine Coast.
“The festival will include a range of traditional world music styles from Greece and Cyprian folk from The Icons, The Pacific Island Dance Group, New Zealand’s and the Cheap Fake’s very own Jess Harlen, African drumming, and Afro Cuban styles from Samoko, and the Flumes.
“All of the major local restaurants and cafes as well as the revamped Duporth Tavern will be open and we have some great food stalls including Michael Torchia from Arnica who will again be producing his home made Italian sausages which were a huge hit last year,” he said.
Westpac, the Sunshine Coast Council, Duporth Tavern, Hot 91, SolBar and the Reed Property Group’s Big Top shopping centre are proud sponsors the Ocean Street World Festival 2013.