HIGH STREET will partially close for a street festival every couple of months under a local group’s plan to showcase local art, food and retail.

The Future Common Design Studio, which operates out of the MANY 6160 building in Kings Square, is hoping the festivals will keep up the momentum built from last weekend’s West End Weekender.

Future Common member Kirsten Masgai told the Herald the group was fundraising to host another two street festivals this year on High Street, between Mouat and Pakenham streets.

She hopes that by next year, and with council support, it’ll become a bimonthly event.

• The West End Weekender event—organisers are keen to see it become a more regular event. Photos by Peter Zuvela

“The festival over the weekend was just such a great event,” she says.

“We had Freo locals and workers out here showing off what they can do. It was an interactive experience for everyone who came through and that’s what makes this different.”

Michael Haynes chimed in: “Artists were on-site painting, there were musical instruments out to play, people were selling clothes, and couches were on the street so people could just sit down and be inspired to be creative.”

Haynes says upcoming festivals will be unique—the next, possibly in July, will suit cooler weather.

To fundraise, Future Common and Chevi Hughes from ReSPOKE—a group which transforms junk into treasure—are selling via silent auction a buffalo sculpture made with the help of hundreds of passers-by at the Fremantle Street Arts Festival. Passers-by were asked to contribute to the artwork by wrapping the steel frame with wool.

Vicki Roberts from the Fremantle Buffalo Club and business neighbour Jayden Weston from Compendium Design Store back the festivals.

“Closing off the street for this would attract more people down here,” Ms Roberts says. “We could have an open day at the club and people, especially young people and families, could come in and ask us about what we’re all about.”

Mr Weston is keen to get more people down the street for another festival.

A proposal has not yet been submitted to the council.

by EMMIE DOWLING