Posted on February 2, 2010 by by Valeri

Are you ready for the biggest National and International food, music and Multicultural Festival in Canberra and Australia?

The National Multicultural Festival is back on again and will run from Friday 5th of February to Sunday 7th of February.

The opening night performance at the National Multicultural Festival 2010 is a free concert as most events throughout the weekend and will be held in Garema Place, starting at 7:30pm.

All major events are also back this year such as: Food and Dance Spectacular, Europe Street, Pacific Island Showcase, Carnival in the City, Bush dance, Contact Canberra, the Greek glendi, the Chinese New Year in the City, India in the City, Windows on Europe and much more.

There are over 200 different events starting at 11am and finishing after midnight during the weekend.

UPDATED INFORMATION ON THE FESTIVAL –

Here is some more information about the Festival.

It all starts with a stellar performance by four of Australia’s eminent female entertainers?-Deni Hines, Paulini, Melinda Schneider and Emma Donovan?-?in a spectacular free show on Friday night in Garema Place as part of the Festival’s Global Concert and Multicultural Night Markets.

Uniting as Mura Wakay – meaning “one voice” in the Kalaw Lagaw Ya language from the Torres Strait Islands – Hines will lead the group in showcasing Australia’s cultural diversity in music.

Festival-goers can expect to be treated to songs from Aboriginal Australia, Fiji, Africa and Spain, Minister for Multicultural Affairs Joy Burch said.

“These four artists were hand-picked for their extraordinary talent and will no doubt put on an impressive show for the Festival’s opening night,” Ms Burch said.

“What a thrill for Canberra to be able to enjoy what is tipped to be an energy-packed performance featuring such an accomplished group of artists.”

The festivities continue on Saturday with the highly-anticipated Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets Food and Dance Spectacular.

More than 100 stalls will line Garema Place, serving a sizzling array of exotic and tempting foods from across the globe. But tastebuds won’t be the only things having fun.

Entertainment throughout the event will be provided by dozens of multicultural performers sharing their talents and traditions across three stages during the Food and Dance Spectacular, Carnival in the City and Pacific Island Showcase. The fun will continue until midnight.

On February 7, a vibrant atmosphere will return to Garema Place from 11am with ActewAGL’s Contact Canberra community expo, the Greek Glendi, ACTTAB’s Chinese New Year in the City celebrations and the Bollywood-themed India in the City.

“The National Multicultural Festival remains squarely a ‘grassroots’ event, driven by the enthusiastic support it receives from Canberra’s multicultural communities,” Ms Burch said.
“It is a marvellous celebration of inclusiveness, unity, harmony and goodwill.”
To find out more, log onto National Multicultural Festival

For a complete list of events visit Events Program

There are also external events supported by the National Multicultural Festival – External Events

Kids Competition: The National Multicultural Festival 2010 is also running a children’s competition with an opportunity to win some fantastic prizes.

Tell them in 30 words or less why you love the National Multicultural Festival, for a chance to win this great Dendy Cinema prize OR one of 20 runners up prizes of a cricket set signed by the 2010 Face of the Festival, Lisa Sthalekar, from the Australian Women’s Cricket Team. Find out more about it here

Rest area for seniors and families at Food and Dance

Seniors and families with young children will have access to a dedicated rest area to beat the heat and take a break from the crowds at the 2010 Food and Dance Spectacular on Saturday, February 6.

The Sanctuary, an annual component of the 2010 National Multicultural Festival, is an initiative of the ACT Office for Ageing and the ACT Office for Women.

Located in the shaded area of Ainslie Place – near the City Walk fountain and adjacent to the western entrance of the Canberra Centre – the Sanctuary offers a secluded and shaded area with free bottled water, as well as tables and chairs, from 10am to 8pm.

For families with young children, a private feeding space, infant’s change facility and bottle-warming equipment will be available. Enquiries on 6205 3113.

10 things to do at NMF

• Say hi to Deni, Paulini, Melinda and Emma at the free Global Concert
• Taste all the food groups – and then some – at Food and Dance Spectacular
• Grab a bargain at Multicultural Night Markets
• Find your love for Latin – or a Latin lover – at Carnival in City
• Chow down a sensational souvlaki at Greek Glendi
• Release your inner tiger at Chinese New Year
• Make new friends at Contact Canberra
• Get transported to the tropics at Pacific Islander Showcase
• Bounce to the Bollywood beat at India in the City
• Tour the world in three days – without visiting a travel agent

A few tips to enjoy the Festival:

• If you are driving to the event get there early or you won’t find any parking spots, in fact just catch a bus to it, check action.act.gov.au for details on bus timetables.
• It’s suppose to rain a little but remember to wear appropriate clothing, hat, wear sunnies and don’t forget sunscreen.
• There will be plenty of drinks at the festival but it wouldn’t hurt to bring extra water anyway.
• Last year the food festival attracted over one hundred thousand people and this year the food festival will be on the same day as many of the other major events so get there early to get a good spot with lots of shade and near the main music stages and food stalls.

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