Retro Futurist Runway & Long Table Dinner

This event ran in November 2023 as part of the City of Bayswater's Flourish Community Arts Festival.

The Baysie Rollers and Laneway Art Space came together to present an evening of retro-futurism, taking over one of Bayswater's most well-known laneways (off 87 Whatley Crescent) in a night to remember.

What originally started as a laneway long table dinner and fashion runway show concept morphed into a much more organic - and crazy! - format as the event evolved.

Our laneway long table dinner became a BYO affair, encouraging a feel of community as people ate at the shared table with family, friends and neighbours. Attendees brought along picnic dinners or supported local eateries by purchasing takeaway to bring to the event. We'd like to thank our event partners King Somm, Mama Rosa's Pizzeria, Thai Esarn, Taste of Middle East, and Sweet Indulge at Trainstop Bakery for their support. 

As for the runway show; why restrict the outfits to the catwalk when you can have them all throughout the event?! We developed a 'roving runway' so that everyone could feel part of the action. The Laneway Art Space ran a series of workshops leading up to the event giving attendees the opportunity to create a retro-futurist wearable art masterpiece. Then on the night, everyone joined us in their best retro-futurist attire, strutting their stuff throughout the event! The costumes were certainly one of our favourite parts of the night.

Setting the scene for our retro-futurist wonderland were light shows, projection art, roaming performers and kids activities, all set to the backdrop of the new Bayswater Train Station (a futuristic monolith!). 

Our MC on the night, Jane Hebiton, kept everyone entertained, and DJ Sonnenwax kept the tunes spinning all night. Our choreographer, Jane Diamond, showed everyone how to best present their retro-futurist selves on the roving runway, and Cyrkel Circus provided circus demonstrations. Dancers Harrison Cook, Danni Cook and Ruby Surtees from WAAPA also kept us entertained! Credit also to local creatives Alli Sylvestre, for her projection art and graphics, and Graham Miles Richards, whose mural in the laneway helped ground the scene in Bayswater. 

Thanks to the other partners that made this event possible: City of Bayswater, IGA Local Grocer Bayswater, Design Merchants, Oxfam Group Fair Trade Shop WA, and Lisa Baker MLA. 

Check out the photos below, courtesy of our photographer Bill Ragan.