Armidalians are getting ready to dance to the beat of a multicultural drum next month when the University of New England puts on its annual Culture Fest from 1-3 November.
Hosted by UNE International, with support from BUPA Australia and the Armidale Regional Council, the weekend-long event is a glorious celebration of the rich mix of cultures that make up our vibrant region.
Event owner and Community Engagement Officer Alexandra Cook believes the variety of activities will offer something for everybody.
“We have an Indian film screening at the Belgrave Cinema, with tasty Indian snacks being served up by members of the Indian community. Part of these proceeds are going to an International Student Scholarship Fund,” Alexandra said.
“We also have Balinese Dance workshops, lantern-making workshops, Chinese calligraphy and yoga workshops happening as well as other exciting activities.”
A highlight of the festival will be the Festival Night with live cultural performances on stage in Civic Park, international food stalls, fire twirlers and a kid’s culture zone.
A special intercultural brunch will also be held on the lawns of Booloominbah on Sunday morning to welcome new migrants to the community. It’s a big program!”
UNE has students from over 60 countries studying on campus. The different cultures, stories and experiences are the inspiration behind Culture Fest.
“The inspiration has always started with our students and it is still our main reason for doing this event,” Alexandra said.
“Our students have been involved in the creation and development phase of the festival. They are the main volunteers who turned up to planning meetings and offer on-the-day support. They are the ones promoting and sharing the festival within their respective communities and participating in various ways by hosting workshops, performing and running food stalls. It is incredible actually, the level of enthusiasm, effort and energy that they are providing to help make this event a success.”
The festival will take place at a variety of locations across town between 1-3 November. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1388985384600576/
