Thousands of people flocked to MacCabe Park to take in the sights and sounds of what has been dubbed the best arts and cultural festival in the state.

Early-morning rain made way for a warm and sunny day – the perfect weather for a stroll in the park.

The sunshine, which was in contrast to last year’s overcast conditions, saw an estimated 20,000 people join in the Viva fun across the day. 

This year’s crowd numbers were up on 2015, Wollongong City Council’s cultural development co-ordinator – and Viva organiser – Megan McKell said. 

“It [the festival] had a beautiful atmosphere, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and enjoying the music and the workshops,” Ms McKell said.

“It was a lovely day, with the community really out there to enjoy themselves.”

Martin Schulz, from Corrimal, was among those who brought their children to experience the festival atmosphere.

“Viva La Gong’s always fun, there’s a lot of things on, it’s good for kids and I like the bands,” Mr Schulz said.  

“There’s food from all sorts of places and really important cultural diversity [on display] and I think it’s good to see.”

Mr Schulz’s daughter, Millie, enjoyed the activities on offer in the circus playground area, where kids could try their hand at juggling and learn how to walk on stilts.

In the creative zone, festivalgoers could paint their own lanterns and umbrellas, learn how to play a ukulele, create origami flowers or use a bicycle-powered turntable to create spin-out art on a canvas.

For those who wanted to get even more involved, there was a chance to get down and dirty to create “mud angels” in a massive mud pit. 

Another highlight of the 2016 event was former Paralympian and circus performer Sarah Houbolt, who put on a display on the main stage.

Ms Houbolt, who competed in the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, is an aerial artist who works in acrobatics with the Vulcana Women’s Circus in Brisbane.

Seventeen local and national performances took to the festival’s main and round stages, while the community stages featured dancers, choir groups, belly dancers, singers and even a jazz ensemble.

Earlier, hundreds of people made their way along Burelli Street, Kembla Street and through the Crown Street Mall as part of a parade that kick-started the event.

The procession injected a rainbow of colour into the shopping precinct and complemented the political colour already on display at the Wollongong Town Hall for the byelection. 

The one-day festival might have come to an end, but the Viva vibe will continue through a number of satellite events, to be held until the end of the year. 

Among the additional events is three-week introduction to the circus, thanks to Circus WOW, which runs for an hour every Monday night until November 28.

A multicultural festival at the Nan Tien Temple from December 24 to January 1 rounds out the ongoing series of activities.