Concrete Playground

Brazilian migrants landed in Sydney in two waves, so we have two Brazilian heartlands. The earlier wave of migrants landed in the 1970s, living around Petersham. The second wave landed in the nineties and settled in Bondi. The Bondi Pavilion South American Festival has straddled both eras, running as a celebration not only of Brazilian culture, but all things Latin American. Newly rebirthed by the White Party's high-fashion party aesthetic, and renamed as this year's 'Bondiesta', the festival brings this new style to its old digs.

Bondiesta's inaugural run will see music across two stages from Clave Contra Clave winners Mi Tierra, Tribalismo's army of DJs and drummers, batucada provided by Rhythm Brazil and more. To go with the sounds, the festival also offers dance workshops, latin craft how-tos, South American food and art markets in the Bondi Pavilion. Also in the pavilion is Emmanuelle Bernard's black and white photo show Rio in Bondi, illustrating the parallels between the two famous beach cities. With a suggested dress code of "tropical vibrant colours and exotic allure" this will be an interesting festa, if only to see what Sydney's second wave Brazilian population make of 'exotic', given their own Brasileiro point of view.