Coastal Twist, The Little Central Coast NSW Festival that could & did.
This weekend’s 3 days and night Coastal Twist festival quite literally lit up the entire peninsula. ABC National News reported “thousands attending the very first Coastal Twist festival” which had tripled organiser & local government expectations.
Gosford Police advised the almost 6,000 strong crowds were all well behaved with only one arrest in the area being made on the beach and completely unrelated to the Coastal Twist festival or its participants.
Central Coast NSW’s home for Cutting-edge Performance & Discourse “Naughty Noodle Fun Haus” is leading the fast-paced charge for what is becoming a new perception of Central Coast NSW as a vibrant and inclusive place to celebrate difference with space to be your authentic self.
Despite no state funding as a community Central Coast itself has pushed ahead individuals, Businesses such as SeaFM, Woolworths & ING alongside organisations such as ACON and local council aligned and created a unique jaw-dropping curated festival with global pulling power.
“We are breaking the festival mould in that we are intentionally not wanting to align likeminded people but bring difference together – inclusion comes in all shapes and sizes & the Coastal Twist experience speaks to that”
Data collected from hundreds of surveys which were taken from the over 40 strong volunteer’s across all events highlighted an even split of 50% local crowds & 50 % from across NSW, QLD, NT & MEL.
The Coastal Twist Festival has positioned itself as the catalyst for new perceptions of a more welcoming Central Coast with world-class offerings which engage, educate, support & unite the entire community as well as amplify and promote our local economy.
“For a region which had nil lgbtiq visibility to’ date, this first activation is more than overdue and we intended to fill that Gap with a whole lotta love. Hence our first Coastal Twist Festival did not come out quietly with 6 events across 3 days.
You would be hard pressed to find a Fringe festival across the country with 100% of their events sold out across the board, From Dance Party to Cabaret, to Short films and Performative food!
Our web servers crashed due to incoming traffic and line ups at all local venues with people hoping to enter and buy a ticket on the day saw the peninsula overflowing with rainbow community, family, friends & those wanting to know, see and feel more. The line up outside the local Woy Woy leagues and down Blackwell road will stay etched in my mind for a very long time” Stated Festival Organiser Juan Iocco.
23 small Businesses across Umina Beach, Ettalong Beach & Woy Woy entered into the Window display completion which was set up for local businesses to have the opportunity to get involved, show support & further unite the region.
“That support from our local businesses who understand the importance of the basic human rights for all people to be treated equally, then created its own momentum inspiring other local businesses to also decorate their windows, so in the end a total of 43 shop windows had engaged, meaning 53% entered knowing they were not going to win the much contested first prize of $2,300 Sea FM Promotional Package for the First Prize winner total promotion package”.
Not only did Coastal Twist entertain with adventurous, unorthodox productions and pioneering artists, scholars, and game-changers but we offered audiences of every age, ability, and gender, sexuality uncommon offerings that can, and often do, reshape and expand worldviews.”
This weekend has been a part of the first steps towards disarming the thinking that difference is somehow bad, difference is not only normal but the biological basis of every living and breathing thing.
Coastal Twist will be back in 2020 with more difference, sameness & togetherness. As Central Coast NSW “Haus of Difference” we want to feed your head with possibilities.
