Over ten days from January 13 to 22, Sydney Festival presents a special program bursting at the seams with events of every shape and size, all in Parramatta.

Riverside Theatres hosts a line-up of local and international theatre, music and film, while the Festival's newest venue, The Idolize Spiegeltent in Prince Alfred Park, features a wondrous mix of music, cabaret and maybe more than a little mayhem.

There's also a massive program of free events, with Parra Opening Party taking over the streets on January 14, a concert under the stars at the Old King's School site on January 21, as well as activities popping up all over the CBD.

Head to Riverside Theatres to find:

- the legendary Romanian Taraf de Haïdouks (Sydney Festival 2004) joining forces with Macedonia's celebrated Koçani Orkestar to present Band of Gypsies;

- Sydney photographer William Yang's I Am A Camera, which combines spoken-word, projected images and music in this very engaging slideshow;

- La Putyka, which can only be described as a new sort of pub circus. Forceful and funny, powerful and poetic, La Putyka explores Czech pub culture through glazed eyes and beer drenched breath;

- Herk Harvey's 1962 Carnival of Souls, a cult horror classic. Here it is refreshed and re-presented with live actors, musicians and one very courageous foley artist;

- Nigerian-French artists Asa and Féfé, in Sydney for the first time. Asa moves seamlessly from guitar-clasping soulful singer-songwriter to pop siren bouncing along on a Motown-ish groove, whilst Féfé, a founding member of French hip-hop band Saian Supa Crew, has since forged a successful solo career with a stunning debut album that topped the French charts;

- the new show from the madcap Listies, The List Operators for Kids Do Compooters, which promises to be even more fun than the last one (if that's possible), as Matt and Richard crash all things sensible and reboot the brave new world of technology;

- Tubular Bells for Two, where two very ambitious musicians, Daniel Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts, take up more than 20 instruments to present Mike Oldfield's Celtic-folk-rock opus Tubular Bells in a unique musical - and often acrobatic - performance; and

- Reflections, a ten day film program of classic features, diverse documentaries and a selection of live performance on screen.

Parramatta's very own Spiegeltent arrives in Prince Alfred Park with a ten day program of singers, bands, DJs and late night cabaret. Sister of The Famous Spiegeltent, The Idolize is a gorgeous Baroque-style mirror tent, and a magical haven for summer Festival fun! The Idolize has its very own house-show - Briefs - a ragtag team of skilful buccaneers who have reinvented vaudeville and circus, dance and clowning.

The Idolize Spiegeltent music line-up includes:

- fierce leading lady Clairy Browne and her harmonising girl group, The Bangin' Rackettes;

- Frank Yamma, with his rich evocative voice, exceptional guitar skills and brutally honest tales from the Central Australian desert;

- Fatoumata Diawara, who blends jazz and blues with the traditional Wassoulou music of her Malian parents to create her own contemporary folk sound;

- AA Bondy, whose music shifts from low key folk gems on sparse backdrops to soaring, bold melodies set against his haunting voice; and

- co-founder of The Saints and Laughing Clowns, Ed Kuepper - one of Australia's most distinctive and prolific singer songwriters.

Parra Opening Party
To kick off our ten days in Parramatta, you're invited to a huge opening party offering a whole host of free events across the city from 4pm to 11pm on Saturday January 14.

Bring the kids down to Prince Alfred Park from 4pm as Holly Throsby and her band kick off the afternoon. Kids can join in our workshops, learn circus tricks and be entertained by roving performers, while your hosts, The List Operators, keep everyone laughing.

Notting Hill Carnival DJ, Norman Jay, parks his iconic double-decker bus in Eat Street for a marathon seven hour set of feel good summer tunes, creating an all-ages street party in the heart of Parramatta.

As The World Tipped takes over the evening skyline with its towering presence on Church Street. As the stage literally tips skywards, dramatic film and visuals mix with breathtaking aerial performance and music.

At the Old King's School site prepare for a wonderful double bill. The evening starts with the Barefoot Divas, six fabulous singers from Australia and the Pacific. Then the mighty brass and swirling violins of Europe's magnificent Taraf de Haïdouks and the Koçani Orkestar lift off into an exhilarating celebration of the night.

Dan Sultan & Busby Marou with special guest Kasey Chambers
Celebrate the last night of Sydney Festival Parramatta on Saturday January 21 in true style with this free concert under the stars at the Old King's School site, featuring a line-up of some of Australia's mightiest musical talents. Kicking off the night is Busby Marou, followed by special guest Kasey Chambers. To round off the night, Dan Sultan and his knock-out seven piece band deliver their distinctive Australian rock ‘n' roll, spiked with blues, soul and country.

Join us, this January for Sydney Festival in Parramatta!

For 2012, supplementary funding from the State Government, matched by an increased commitment by Parramatta City Council, has enabled Sydney Festival to significantly expand its program in Parramatta as the focus of its activities in Western Sydney.

Building on Sydney Festival's commitment to presenting work in Western Sydney since 2003, this increased funding facilitated the Festival to present this comprehensive ten-day Festival of free and ticketed events.