This 13th of May, the Cooroy Fusion Festival is set to make its annual return. What is the Fusion festival all about? Well, as per its name, the Fusion festival is an amalgamation of everything unique and beautiful about the Cooroy area, from its incredible musical and artistic talents, to amazing local produce and mind-blowing local artisan products that literally cannot be found anywhere else. As with every year since its conception in 2010, the Fusion Festival is to be held in the Mill Place precinct in front of the Cooroy Library. The first ever Fusion Festival was actually held in celebration of the Library being opened, and has since grown to become the incredible showcase of local food, talent, and of the people of the Cooroy region themselves, that it is today.

This community event is all about raising notice about the fantastic region of Cooroy, and all that its charming community members produce; a joining of three different Cooroy events to better highlight the amazing diversity of talents, expertise, creativity, innovation and product of not only the immediate surrounds, but the greater area around Cooroy herself. Included this year is an assortment of over 20 different food stalls, as well as a devoted Artisans market to showcase locally inspired and produced products as well as various entrepreneurial adventures. There really is something for everyone’s taste: From the Donut kitchen, to Japanese Dumplings, Mexican cuisine, Crepes, fresh berries, fresh barista made coffee from local producers and more. If you’re more in the market for something more than materialistic hunger satisfaction then the array of market stalls are sure to satisfy. From Laser art, to Bamboo creations. Clay works, Canvas prints – shirts, toys and clothing too – Vintage clothing, artisan peanut butters, hand-crafted musical instruments, Photography and Jewellery, just to name a few. And I haven’t even gotten to the best part of the Cooroy Fusion Festival.

The highlight of this festival for me has to be the music. Every year local artists perform around the clock to keep the vibe happy, and people’s ears satisfied, and every year there’s only one spot to sit back and truly soak it all in from. The Pickled Possum is not a weird new hipster way of eating possum meat, it’s the fantastic local pub that just so happens to have a fantastic view of the main stage, and the Festival itself. This year, thanks to the sponsorship of the Cooroy RSL, the pub will also be playing host to a special ‘Volunteer and Sponsors’ appreciation hospitality event, to make sure the people who made this event possible are being fed and having a great time too.

For more information on the Cooroy Fusion Festival itself, or any number of its sponsors and featured artists, producers and creators, visit the festival’s website, and I’ll see you at the Pickled Possum this May 13.