EAST VILLAGE CELEBRATES ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH A BIG BIRTHDAY BASH

• DATE: October 19^th, 2015: South East Sydney.

PAYCE's highly successful East Village urban marketplace in Sydney's southern suburb of Zetland is celebrating its first birthday.

With a four-day aptly-named "East Village Firstival" event of entertainment and giveaways from 22–25 October and everyone is invited.

Located in the vibrant residential community of Zetland, the award-winning East Village offers a one-of-a-kind contemporary retail and lifestyle experience inspired by some of the world's leading urban marketplaces of Chelsea Markets and Eataly in New York, Faneuil Hall in Boston and Borough Market in London.

First East Village Firstival Birthday Bash – party fun for all the family

The East Village Firstival will run through the weekend packed with four days of fun-filled activities and opportunities to win a wide array of gifts and prizes.

Coinciding with the opening date, the festivities kick off on ...

Thursday - Cocktail Party

Thursday, from 5.00pm with a cocktail party hosted by NOVA FM to get everyone in the spirit. There will be free drinks, tasty eats and great music by NOVA's DJ, Jaben and 20 x $250 East Village gift cards to be given away courtesy of NOVA.

Friday - Food Festival

Friday is a perfect opportunity to end the working week and sample some of the finest cuisine available at East Village as part of the gourmet food festival. East Village boasts some of the best restaurants and eateries in Sydney so be prepared to be spoiled by choice.

Saturday - Family Fun Day

Saturday marks family day with a family-focused fete underway from noon. Highlights include the Birthday Cake Bake-Off judging by celebrity chef Tobie Puttock after local residents were invited to test their cake making skills in either the adult or children's section in the lead up to the celebrations. The winner of the children's colouring-in Facebook competition will also be announced. Throughout the day there will be free entertainment, kids' activities, including face painting, a petting zoo and free giveaways.

Sunday - Family Fete

Sunday will again be a full day filled with fun activities for all ages and tastes, including the fete, free sample bags and live entertainment featuring The Voice finalist, Joe Moore.

To make sure our furry friends don't miss out, there will be a dog show starting at 12 noon with lots of prizes and doggy categories to enter.

Brian Boyd – a first year anniversary is a special occasion.

PAYCE Managing Director, Brian Boyd said the first year anniversary was an important milestone and PAYCE was keen to share the special occasion with everyone.

"East Village had surpassed all our expectations and in the year since opening its doors it has become a popular retail and culinary destination to shop and enjoy its friendly, village ambiance.

"East Village has quickly become a landmark retail precinct which continues to attract patronage not just locally but from all over Sydney," said Mr Brian Boyd.

"PAYCE would like to thank everyone for their support, including shoppers, diners, retailers and, of course, the project and management teams for contributing to the wonderful success of East Village.

Dominic Sullivan – East Village is rapidly establishing itself ...

PAYCE General Manager, Dominic Sullivan said East Village challenged the common perception of retail shopping by introducing the use of natural elements to create an urban marketplace like no other.

"We wanted people to experience a 'wow' moment when they walked through the doors for the first time and from the feedback we have received that's been the widespread reaction," he said.

"We are also proud that the project has been recognised within the industry through a growing list of awards, including most recently, Development of the Year in the 2015 Urban Taskforce Awards and Best Retail and Commercial Development in NSW and ACT in the 2015 Urban Development Institute of Australia Awards.

Mr Sullivan said East Village quickly established a reputation for great experiences and for celebrating special events such as the Chinese New Year.

"We certainly couldn't let the opportunity of our first anniversary pass without sharing the party with the people who have been so supportive over the last year," he said.

"I'm sure there will be many more opportunities to celebrate in the future, but for now, we welcome everyone to come along to our birthday bash and join us in the festivities and help make this occasion a memorable one," he said.