The Central Coast will have a presence like never before at this year’s Sydney Mardi Gras Festival, with a Coastal Twist community float set to take part in the parade for the first time.
Featuring locals of all persuasions, participants will represent the theme of this year’s upcoming Coastal Twist, ‘Be The Change’, whilst also embodying this year’s Mardi Gras theme of ‘What Matters’, with the team from Naughty Noodle Fun Haus/Coastal Twist coordinating.
Coastal Twist Board Chair, Juan Iocco, said Coastal Twist was all about signalling a new era on the Coast, one where all people can feel included and valued.
“Be the change is our Coastie theme for this year’s upcoming Coastal Twist, it is a call out for all Coasties to be the change they want to see,” Iocco said.
“The Coast is coming into a new beginning, new thinking, ideas activated by more inclusion and visibility than ever before and the Naughty Noodle Fun Haus is proud to be a part of that visible change into a region which is showing what we are made of and what we have the capacity to deliver on a global scale.
“There would not be many residents who cannot see, smell and touch the change in the air.
“We have embraced world class conscious arts and entertainment that’s simultaneously walking the tightrope of culture and place making with successful cutting edge arts delivery.
“The Coast is right now etching ourselves on the greater playing field with unique offerings which can and often do, reshape and expand worldviews,” Iocco said.
Residents from Gwandalan through to Patonga will be boarding the float on the night and have joined with the Naughty Noodle to commence building the float and deciding on costumes.
“It really does take a village to make a village, with local community teens, mums and mums, mums and dads, hairdressers and students to CEOs and barristers all pitching in,” Coastal Twist Creative Director, Glitta Supernova said.
“The support from organisations and businesses has been incredibly gracious with donations from the Peninsula’s Meals on Wheels with space to build, ADSSI on the northern end with printers and furniture, Mitre 10 Kincumber and Bunnings West Gosford and Umina all amongst the too many to mention organisations pitching in with no financial gain, just a shared vision of a more welcoming and inclusive Central Coast.
“As a community we are literally creating the change we want to see, working around thin outdated regional inequality structures which have no place in socially equitable societies.
“The Coast is moving forward as a community and that’s what is making all the difference, like minded people working together for a better way.
“We have our glue guns and jigsaws out and we are going to use them, creating some fun out of all the hard work required as we build a float, create costumes and music/choreography to boot,” Supernova said.
The Mardi Gras Parade will be viewed live by millions of people across the world via SBS on February 29.
The Naughty Noodle is simultaneously partnering up with Woy Woy Leagues Club for everyone wanting to stay on the Coast and Mardi Gras with their second Bauhaus Dance Party fundraiser, featuring DJs Annabelle Gasper and Steve Sonius, plus performance and a big screen to view the parade from on the dance floor.
Source:
Media release, Feb 5
Juan Iocco, Naughty Noodle Fun Haus