With the Kiama Blues Festival and the Yours and Owls Music festival, Wollongong and the wider Illawarra region south of Sydney already have a reputation for live music.

In 2023, the Wollongong Council got two-year funding for a different kind of event, the Culture Mix Festival,  to celebrate the music, food and stories of its  culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Earlier this year,  the Wollongong Council received funding to run the event for a third year.

Image: Photo by Kwame Slusher

Produced By: Kwame Slusher

Featured In Story: Ann Burbrook – Community Hubs Support Coordinator at Illawarra Multicultural Services, Chris Lacey – CEO of Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra, and Janine – Illawarra Council Arts and Council Worker

First aired on The Wire, Friday 26 September 2025