“Parra-Mela” is an annual arts and cultural festival presented by Nautanki Theatre in the heart of Parramatta. A vibrant multidisciplinary celebration of South-Asian diaspora culture, performing arts, music, literature, and community, Parra-Mela serves as one of Western Sydney’s major cultural gatherings, uniting hundreds of attendees to celebrate diverse arts and cultural traditions.
Nautanki Theatre’s flagship Annual South Asian Theatre Mela is rebranded as Parra-Mela in its 11th year in 2026 as a reimagined, community-led cultural festival celebrating South Asian art, culture, language, food, and creativity. With the decline of the “Parramasala” festival, Nautanki Theatre identified a strong need for a new, sustainable, arts-driven community event that reflects Parramatta’s diverse population and growing identity as a creative city.
Previously presented at Riverside Theatre for ten years, the Parra-Mela will now move into the heart of Parramatta’s CBD due to the venue’s redevelopment. This transition allows the festival to activate new civic spaces and engage broader audiences within the city centre. The Mela will be delivered as a two-day celebration, programmed across Friday evening (5–9pm) and Saturday (3–9pm), supporting Parramatta’s night-time economy.
Events will take place at Riverside Live @PHIVE and Parramatta Town Hall.
Programming will include performances, visual arts, storytelling, music, and community activities, with a strong focus on accessibility and inclusion.
Through structured audience feedback and ongoing evaluation, Nautanki aims to grow the Parra-Mela year by year into a major NSW destination event by 2028. The festival will strengthen local creative capacity, support artists, attract visitors, and generate cultural and economic benefits for Parramatta and the wider Western Sydney region.
The Mela attracts visitors from across Greater Sydney and Western Sydney, particularly from South Asian communities in Blacktown, Campbelltown, Liverpool, and beyond, encouraging travel into Parramatta’s CBD. By programming the festival across Friday evening and Saturday night, the event increases after-hours visitation, supporting restaurants, cafés, and retail along Church Street and surrounding precincts.
Using multiple venues encourages audience movement throughout the city, extending dwell time and cross-pollinating foot traffic across key civic and commercial areas. As a free and accessible community festival, the Parra- Mela also appeals to families, first-time visitors, and culturally curious audiences, broadening Parramatta’s cultural reach.
| Ngurra Gunya Room | The Great Hall-Town Hall | TOWNHALL COURTYARD | RIVERSIDE LIVE@PHIVE | RIVERSIDE LIVE@PHIVE | Charles Byrne Room | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THU – DAY 1 1 OCT 2026 | Set up & Rehearsal – Playreading 5 pm – 9 pm | Light Projection 7 pm – 10 pm | Set up & RehearsalDances Theatre 5.30 pm – 7.00 pmShort Plays – Show 7.45 pm – 9.30 pm | Set up & RehearsalDances Theatre 5.30 pm – 7.00 pmShort Plays – Show 7.45 pm – 9.30 pm | ||
| FRI – DAY 2 2 OCT 2026 | Launch/Inauguration 6.00 pm – 6.20 pmRavi’s Sitar 6.30 pm – 7.15 pm | Play Reading Rehan Alavi 7.45 pm – 9.00 pmPainting/Exhibition | Light Projection 7 pm – 10 pm | |||
| SAT- DAY 3 3 OCT 2026 | Kids event- TBC 2.00 pm – 2.45 pmBook Talk 3.00 pm – 3.45 pmSatrangi Chat Show 4.00 pm – 4.45 pmBreak 5.00 pm – 5.30 pmOpen Mic 5.30 pm – 7.00 pmEmpty Slot/Sound Testing 7.30 pm – 8.00 PMBand 8.15 pm – 9.30 pmClosing 9.30 pm | Book Launch – UG 5.30 pm – 6.30 pmMushaira 7.00 pm- 8.30 pmPainting/Exhibition | Stalls & Kiosks 2 pm – 10 pmFlashmob 5.00 pmInstallations2 pm – 10 pmPerformances/Clown 7.00 pm- 7.15 pm 8.00 pm- 8.15 pmLight Projection 7 pm – 10 pm | Dance Theatre 4.00 pm – 5.30 pmShort Plays – Show 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm | Dance Theatre 4.00 pm – 5.30 pmShort Plays – Show 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm | |
South Asian Theatre Mela is supported by
We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands and waters of NSW, and all Aboriginal Elders, past, present and emerging, and their continuing cultural, spiritual customs, storytelling and practices.
As a noteable theatre company Sydney, Nautanki is committed to honoring diverse narratives and fostering a culturally inclusive community through our stage performances.
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