baɪ ðə stˈɑːɹt ʌvðə fˈɛstɪvəl, mˈoːɹ ðɐn twˈɛnti fˈaɪv ˈækts hæd pˈʊld ˈaʊt, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ kəmˈiːdiən tˈɑːm bˈælɑːɹd, næzˈiːm hˈʌseɪn, ðə bˈɛlvwɑːɹ θˈiəɾɚ pɹədˈʌkʃən ʌv blˈæk bɹˈæs, fˈɜːst nˈeɪʃənz dˈæns kˈʌmpəni mˈæɹuːdʒˌɛkuː, ˈæɹəb θˈiəɾɚ stˈuːdɪˌoʊ, ænd bˈæŋkstaʊn pˈoʊɪtɹi slˈæm.
By the start of the festival, more than 25 acts had pulled out, including comedian Tom Ballard, Nazeem Hussain, the Belvoir Theatre production of Black Brass, First Nations dance company Marrugeku, Arab Theatre Studio, and Bankstown Poetry Slam.