Free Fun at Bunbury Fringe Garden bringing people together showcasing culture and diversity

Community groups were given a chance to raise their profile and light up the stage during Bunbury Fringe Festival last week.

Two of the free events supported by Bunbury Fringe were held by community groups with the aim to connect people and showcase cultural diversity.

Esther Schipp, co-ordinator of of a group called CAST (Cultures All Singing Together), performed in the Fringe Garden on Monday night to a crowd of about 150 people. She said the feedback from the audience was very positive and she was pleased with the turn-out.

“It was a fun session and a number of our team members said the audience feedback was very positive,” she said.

“We were very happy to be able to put together an event and work with other community groups such as the Vocal Fusion Youth Choir and a Filipino musical group.”

The event also showcased some dancing from groups such as the South West Multicultural Dance Group and others to entertain and involve the audience through some of the performances.

‘It was a relaxed, beautiful space to perform and a privilege to be able to perform at Fringe” Schipp said.

Schipp has been co-ordinating the group since 2022 and said its name was changing to ACTS (All Cultures Together Singing), to better reflect inclusivity.

The group meets regularly and is looking forward to engaging more with the community and attracting more members.

“It’s a chance for us to showcase a group of people who just enjoy getting together. It’s community, culture and language all joined into one,” Schipp said.

The group also write their own songs and are keen to perform at events such as the South West Multicultural Festival and Harmony Week later in the year.

There are 12 members from different cultures all around the world including Lebanon, Malaysia and the UK.

Schipp was born in Malaysia and has enjoyed a long career serving the community in various roles. She has called Bunbury home for more than 30 years.

The group was originally called Intercultural Lullabies, then CAST and now ACTS.

For more information about ACTS visit can.org.au.

Milligan were also at Fringe this year with a larger than expected turn-out to their Our Shout event on Tuesday.

Organisers Emma Parkinson and Crystal Mather said they had been coming to Bunbury Fringe for four years. The organisation is about tackling social isolation and connecting people in the community.

The show, in which people gathered and sang along to songs by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, was free.

“Milligan is funded to reduce the negative effects of social isolation. This is definitely one of our most favourite events that we get to do, It’s always full of heaps of joy and laughs and bringing people together, which is what Milligan is about,” Parkinson said.

The group prepared 70 song sheets, however, an estimated 150 people turned up, making the event a great success and fulfilling its purpose.

For more information on Milligan visit milligan.org.au.