Marrickville Metro’s New Site
Marrickville Metro is ready to welcome Sydneysiders to the newly expanded centre across the road on Smidmore Street with a five-day extravaganza including mouth-watering food, drinks, culture, art and music. Slated to be the newest lifestyle destination to hit Sydney, Marrickville Metro will run five days of jam-packed launch activity to ignite all the senses from 10 June 2021.
Marrickville Metro has never comfortably fit the typical ‘shopping centre’ mould. Known as the beating heart of the local community, Marrickville Metro has been the place for locals to gather and socialise for nearly four decades. The highly anticipated opening of the new site will signal a new era – one that quite literally bridges the rich cultural history ingrained within the footprint of the existing site, together with the diverse and urban lifestyle that the Inner West has become known for.
From construction through to completion, Marrickville Metro has always encouraged retailers and the local community to embrace the unique personality of the area and to make the space their own. Large scale artworks are permanent residents on the walls that make up the new site and bespoke artworks bring character and colour to the internal features. A combination of high-quality independent operators and much-loved established operators bring a mix of fresh concepts, unique fit-outs, and re-imagined menus to their stores within Marrickville Metro.
The opening festivities are an opportunity for the local community and the wider Sydney-set to enjoy an eclectic and diverse range of retailer offerings combined with a sensory exploration through art, music and creative workshops. Opening on Thursday 10 June and running until Monday 14 June, Marrickville Metro will be running a variety of free events and activations for all ages to enjoy.
OPENING CEREMONY
From 10am on Thursday 10 June, recycled ribbon made from salvaged materials will declare the precinct open. The repossessed ribbon will be accompanied with a blast of colourful seed paper confetti made from native daisy. Guests will have the opportunity to collect the confetti and take it home to plant in their gardens.
FOOD SAMPLING
Smidmore Street will be home to a delicious mix of over 10 new dining options available for all tastebuds and occasions. Bite-sized food sampling stations will be set up along the Ground Floor of the new centre, giving visitors the opportunity to try the new offers as they explore and discover. A mix of restaurant concepts and quick bites will make their way to Marrickville Metro including Rice Pantry, Motto Motto Japanese Kitchen, The Grumpy Italian, C9 Gelato and many more!
Times:
Thursday 10 June & Friday 11 June: 10:00am – 2:00pm (new centre Ground Floor)
Saturday 12 June – Monday 14 June: 2:30pm- 5:30pm (new centre Ground Floor)
Thursday 10 June – Monday 14 June: 10:00am – 1:00pm (existing centre Food Court)
EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS
Local re-use centre, Reverse Garbage, advocates to reduce waste and challenge the ways in which we use resources. Throughout launch weekend, Reverse Garbage will be selling unique craft kits alongside their educational workshop offering.
No need for plastic shopping bags at Marrickville Metro, participants of the workshops will be able to turn an old t-shirt into a handy shopping bag without using a needle and thread. Reverse Garbage will also host dedicated sessions for kids known as the ‘Creators Club.’ Kids can let their imagination run wild, with the help of Reverse Garbage staff, by using a range of unusual, recycled items to deliver a final product of their choosing.
T-Shirt Tote Bag Workshop Times:
Thursday 10 June & Friday 11 June: 10am – 2pm
45-minute sessions running every hour from 10am.
Bookings required, via the centre website.
Creators Club Workshop Times:
Saturday 12 June – Monday 14 June & Saturday 19 June – Sunday 20 June & Saturday 26 June – Sunday 27 June: 10am-2pm
30-minute sessions running every 40 minutes from 10am.
Bookings required, via the centre website.
KIDS WORKSHOPS
Li’l Crafters believe in Reuse, Repurpose and Sustainability approaches when running kids craft activities. Li’l Crafters will set up at Marrickville Metro after school over four days. Kids will take part in a variety of workshops playing with a mix of materials and trinkets including slime, junk jewellery, wool and mosaic terracotta.
Slime Workshop – Thursday 10 June: 4pm-6pm
Crazy Party Hats – Friday 11 June: 4pm-6pm
Junk Jewellery – Saturday 12 June: 3pm-6pm
Wool & Nature Hangings – Sunday 13 June: 3pm-6pm
Mosaic Terracotta Pots & Plants – Monday 14 June: 3pm-6pm
30-minute sessions running every 40 minutes from 4pm daily.
Bookings required, via the centre website.
BIODEGRABABLE GLITTER TATTOOING
Bio-Glitter tattooing will be available for kids on the Ground Floor of the new centre the entire launch period. The premium Australian biodegradable glitter is made from primarily eucalyptus and is sourced responsibly from managed plantations. Kids will be able to choose from a variety of designs.
Dates & Times:
Thursday 10 June & Friday 11 June: 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Saturday 12 June – Monday 14 June: 10:00am – 2:00pm
FACE PAINTING
If the tattoos aren’t enough, a kids Face Painting station will be set up at the Food Court of the existing centre.
Dates & Times:
Thursday 10 June & Friday 11 June: 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Saturday 12 June – Monday 14 June: 10:00am – 2:00pm
LOCAL MUSIC
A mix of professional and local artists will set up across a variety of stages throughout the existing and new site. All Age Music will provide a unique and diverse mixture of live music from student bands to professional musicians. Across the launch period, over 10 local buskers will find themselves performing in front of a crowd ready to have a good time. Throughout May, Marrickville Metro ran Expression of Interests for local buskers in the Marrickville area to register their interest to perform during launch weekend.
POP-UP PERFORMANCE BY JUNKYARD BEATS
Junkyard Beats are an innovative and original group combining rhythm with movement, acting, and drumming in all styles using a combination of instruments and anything they can find. They will be roving throughout the new centre and exciting centre during the times outlined below.
Date & Time: Saturday 12 June – 11:45am-12:00pm & 12:10pm-12:25pm
COMMUNITY ART WALL
Art is such an integral part of the development. Artist Richard Briggs has spent the last month listening to members of the community about what living in the Inner West means to them. Over launch weekend, customers might catch him as he applies his unique sketching style to transform a wall in the existing centre, into a vibrant and engaging art piece.
Marrickville Metro will be opening on Thursday 10 June 2021 at 20 Smidmore Street, Marrickville. For a full list of launch activity, please visit: https://www.marrickvillemetro.com.au/
