Bright Nights Bazaar and Tasting Trail to celebrate Refugee Week in Newcastle

Newy 87.8 FM – Novocastrians are invited to celebrate Refugee Week with the Bright Nights Bazaar and Tasting Trail, delivered by City of Newcastle in partnership with the Village in the City Working Group.

A tasting passport will guide visitors through seven global cuisines, with $5 sample dishes from Sri Lankan, Egyptian, South Indian, Arabic and various Afghan cuisines. Visitors will receive a stamp at each stall and learn about the origins of the dishes.

The Bazaar will showcase craft makers, stallholders, musicians and dancers from newly arrived and refugee communities, with live music from artists including local singer Regikay, Earthern Rhythms drumming, an African dance group from Jesmond Public School and an emerging young DJ mentored by the Multicultural Neighbourhood Centre.

A community dessert competition will also be judged, with recipes from all entries to be compiled into a community cookbook in partnership with BaptistCare Jesmond.

Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk, Chair of City of Newcastle's Access Inclusion Standing Committee, said the event forms part of the Neighbourly Newy program launched last year to mark 10 years since Newcastle reaffirmed its status as a Refugee Welcome Zone.

The Bazaar is one of three free events being delivered across May, June and July to support Jesmond communities experiencing social and geographic isolation. The series began in May with a Twilight Village Kitchen and Market and will conclude at Heaton Park on 17 July with the Lantern Night Picnic & Community Showcase.

Refugee Week runs from 14 to 20 June with the theme "A Million Stories".

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