Across the Border: Art and Culture: Kings Cross Festival 2012

Make sure you zip into Kings Cross today or tomorrow for the Kings Cross Festival 2012, run by the Potts Point Partnership with creative director Ignatius Jones.

The program features loads of free entertainment, including music, poetry, history, as well as quite a few interesting retail things.

One of these is the window displays by fashion designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley and the curated Festival Pop-Up Shop, at 28 Macleay Street, which features the best of the area's clothing, art and design items in one neat shop. I will be investing my pay there today.

There's also a free concert today from 11am in Fitzroy Gardens, alongside the markets, with a line-up put together by local fellow history geek, Warren Fahey. It closes with a performance by local muso Renee Geyer, from 6-7pm.

There will also be roving street artists, 'Razorhurst' tours, and a free talk at the heritage-listed Australian Institute of Architects building, at 3 Manning Street, on urban density. That's from 2-3.30pm. Bookings are required on 02 9246 4055.

If you have junior burghers, take them to the big family picnic day at Beare Park tomorrow, where there will be old fashioned tug-of-war and circus acts.

Also tomorrow, for civic-minded locals, there's a neighbourhood expo in the Rex Centre where a bunch of community groups will be hosting tables to show off what they are all about. Groups include Kings Cross Rotary, Kings Cross Knit Wits and the 2011 Residents' Association. That's from 11am-3pm. The Rotary markets, where I once found a pristine Gucci coat for $250, will also be on as usual, in Fitzroy Gardens.

If that all sounds a bit straight-laced, head off on Sunday early evening to the Writers and Whisky storytelling night at the Dandelion Bar at the Mercure Hotel, from 4-6pm. It's free. 

The Dandelion Bar is the official festival bar and is a great place to drink, because it's not normally open, yet it has a fantastic outdoor section where you can look over the streets and feel the energy of the neighbourhood.

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For more information, look out for the impressive newspaper-styled program, or visit www.kingscrossfestival.com

Festival artwork by Jeremyville