I had a great time at the Danks Street Festival on the weekend and commend all of those involved in organising the event. The bands were great, the variety and quality of food was excellent and you could even buy organic coffee and drinking chocolate that is non-Colonialistic from Mayan Coffee and Xocolat on Danks. What is non-Colonialistic? Well, Mayan explains that it means buying direct from the small farming cooperatives in Guatemala rather than the large multinationals to ensure that the farmers receive a fair price for their products. Danks Street Depot, which is founded on the principles of the Slow Food movement and buying locally from farmers using sustainable farming methods, were cooking up delicious BBQ lamb rolls.

The arts market was packed with people and had a great vibe. I enjoyed meeting with a new fairtrade company, Globally Travelled Designs, who design and manufacture a range of homewares and accessories. The owner is a designer and decorator and the designs are contemporary and elegant. Also at the markets was Vampt Vintage Design, specialising in original vintage design furniture and lighting that is re-used in order to reduce the impact on the environment. The art galleries at 2 Danks Street were also very cool.

The atmosphere at the Festival was one of fun, mixed in with a bit of funk and a strong community spirit - not only from the people but the many four-legged friends that also attended the event. These local community events are a great way for people to connect with others in the area and reinforces the benefits of belonging to a community. Check out the photos and make sure you have it in your diary for next year Pyrmont Village.