Parramatta. Economic pay-off

Parramatta City Council put $500,000 – matched by the state government – into the 10-day Sydney Festival activities, in Parramatta, in January. Lord Mayor Lorraine Wearne expects a good economic pay-off for the city and hopes it will help build its nascent events calendar that includes the south east Asian arts festival, Parramasala, currently underway, New Year's Eve and Australia Day festivities and a winter ice festival called Winterlight.

Region. Sydney Festival attracts crowds

While the box office receipts have not been disclosed, The Australian Financial review reports that Sydney festival events in Parramatta, Penrith, Minto and Campbelltown attracted enthusiastic crowds” helping to exceed the overall box office target of $4.7 million for the $17.6 million three-week event.