Hosting & Volunteering
Hosting is open to any interstate or international dancers who register for the Sydney Swing Festival and provides a fantastic opportunity to make new friends who already share one of your passions. Hosting enquiries will close Thursday October 29th 2009 (two weeks before the Festival) as it is almost impossible to find hosts in the last week!
What do I need to offer as a host?
You do not need to be registered for SSF in order to offer a visiting dancer a home. All you need to do as a host is offer a dancer somewhere to sleep for the duration of the Sydney Swing Festival (November 12th – 16th 2009).
Somewhere to sleep could include a spare bed, mattress, couch or even a spare section of your floor (preferably with a mat or air bed). It is also great to offer your visitor breakfast in the morning (toast and plenty of coffee usually) as well as a ride to the SSF activities or at least some tips on how to get there!
What do I need to do as a visitor?
Visitors are expected to be friendly and appreciative towards their host. As a visitor, you should always tidy up after yourself, respect the privacy of your host and obey any rules of the household. In particular, if you need to use the phone or internet connection, please do not do so unless you have been given permission.
Lastly, as a visitor in someone’s home, it is polite to either help out around the household, bring them a small gift or just offer them a few drinks as a show of your gratitude.
How do I register to be a host or visitor?
There will be many dancers looking for a home at SSF and if you are able to offer a place to sleep and a basic breakfast, we would love to hear from you. Simply send an e-mail to kyliewatt@swingpatrol.com.au to register as a host and we will be in contact with you shortly.
Alternatively, if you are looking for somewhere to stay… please indicate your desire to be hosted when you register for the Sydney Swing Festival. Do keep in mind that we cannot guarantee each and every dancer a suitable host for the duration of SSF. It is always best to have alternative options for accommodation in the event that we are not able to offer you a home!
Sydney is full of affordable places to stay within the inner west (where all the action is for SSF). For cheap accommodation options, have a look at hostels in Sydney at Hostel Bookers or Hostelz. The most convenient areas for getting to and from events will be around Central, Broadway, Glebe and Camperdown.
Volunteering
Want to come to SSF but the budget is a little tight???
Calling for crew for the Sydney Swing Festival – November 12-16 2009.
We need people for:
• Event Set Up/Pack Up
• Door Crews (social events and workshops)
• After Party Door Crew
• SJC Stage Crew
• Spare Hands
There will be discounts on passes/events offered!
If you’re able to help please email kyliewatt@swingpatrol.com.au with SSF Volunteer in the Subject line
Accomodation
General accommodation websites occasionally have special rates, especially if you stay for more than one night! The following websites are useful for finding last minute accommodation:
www.needitnow.com.au
www.wotif.com.au
www.stayz.com.au (recommended is the Vulcan)
Other hotel/motel websites to try are:
www.rydges.com
www.questcamperdown.com.au
www.mercure.com.au
www.unilodge.com.au
www.medina.com.au
www.theoaksgroup.com.au
www.centralregenthotel.com.au
www.marquehotels.com
Also check out hostels for a less pricey stay – some have single rooms for less than a hotel/motel, but more than the dorm rooms
www.wakeup.com.au
www.yha.com.au
Tourist Info
Sydney is a beautiful city full of interesting places to visit. For those not participating in the workshops, here are a few ideas for sightseeing. For more ideas visit “www.sydney.com.au:www.sydney.com.au or www.visitnsw.com/sydney.
Sunny weather ideas
In sunny weather, you just can’t go past a visit to our beautiful harbour and foreshores.
Pricey options:
Climb to the top of the Harbour Bridge for fantastic views (www.bridgeclimb.com), or take a joy-ride on a helicopter (www.blueskyhelicopters.com).
More affordable options:
Go on a harbour cruise (www.captaincook.com.au or www.matilda.com.au), take a ride on a ferry from Circular Quay to the zoo or Manly (www.sydneyferries.info), or visit Fort Dennison and have lunch in the middle of the harbour (www.matilda.com.au check out ‘Fort Dennison’ under ‘Ferry Services’).
Freebies:
Walk across the Harbour Bridge via the pedestrian path – this is a nice option during the quieter traffic times such as early Sunday morning or very late at night.
Visit our fabulous Royal Botanic Garden. Walk from the Opera House steps, through the Garden and around to Mrs Macquaries Chair for wonderful views of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Fort Dennison. Views are best from this point in the morning.
Take a walk along the foreshore from Coogee to Bondi Beach. Views are best from this walk in the afternoon.
Wet weather ideas:
Visit Sydney’s fabulous aquarium (www.sydneyaquarium.com.au) and wildlife world (www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au), which are right next to each other at Darling Harbour.
See a movie on the world’s biggest screen at the IMAX theatre, Darling Harbour (www.imax.com.au).
Visit the Art Gallery of NSW (www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au) to see the exhibition of Australian painters and entrants in the Dobell Prize for Drawing 2009.
Visit the State Library of NSW (www.statelibrary.nsw.gov.au) and see the Heritage Collection 2009 – an eclectic collection of memorabilia.
Take a look at the fascinating exhibits in the Australian Museum (http://australianmuseum.net.au).
For the shopaholics…
Can’t get through the weekend without shopping? Here are some of our favourite places to shop:
Oxford St, Paddington – for the fashion conscious. Great boutique stores and designer labels, plus lots of trendy cafes.
Paddington Markets – every Saturday, on Oxford St. 250 stalls selling quirky clothes and unique pieces of jewellery, bargain books and music, soft furnishings, arts and crafts, etc. An upmarket market. www.paddingtonmarkets.com.au
Queen Victoria Building, George St, Sydney (next to Sydney Town Hall). Clothing, handbags, jewellery, accessories, gifts, books and food all in one beautiful historic building. www.qvb.com.au
King St, Newtown – for quirky and unique clothing (new and second hand), furniture, gifts, music, beauty products, specialty stores and a whole lot of restaurants and cafes. The lower end of King St (furthest from the city) is a haven for vintage gear outlets.
Check out:
Exclusive Vintage Clothing, 383 King St
Faster Pussycat, 431a King St (http://fasterpussycatonline.com) Refreds, 471 King St
Retrospec’d, 486 King St (www.retrospecd.com), and
Scraggs House of Fashion, 551e King St.