News Alert |

Are you ready to experience a world of culture, music, food and dance?  

Ballarat Harmony Fest 2020 will take centre stage in Ballarat from March 12-27, featuring a great range of community events at various locations across Ballarat.  

Highlights of the festival include the Colours of World Cultures group exhibition, Walk with Us and Holi Festival, Intercultural Fest and the spectacular Intercultural City Gala Dinner.  

Since it was launched in 2010, Harmony Fest has become the City of Ballarat’s vibrant celebration of diversity, attracting an average of 9,000 people each year.  

Harmony Fest wraps around Harmony Day, the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated on 21 March. The day encourages Australians to come together to reflect on and celebrate the many cultures that create our great city.  

With figures showing Ballarat is home to migrants from 89 different countries and almost 10 per cent of Ballarat residents were born overseas, interculturalism is now a defining feature of our community.   

This year’s program features events including but not limited to:  

The Harmony Fest 2020 launch and flag raising ceremony at Queen Victoria Square, opposite Town Hall, on Thursday 12 March at 10am followed by a performance by Jayden Lillyst, smoking ceremony and morning tea at Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC), 108 Armstrong St North   Tai Chi, near Pipers Restaurant, Lake Wendouree on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March at 8am, presented by Mount Clear College Confucius Classroom  The Colours of World Cultures group exhibition celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the City of Ballarat’s Intercultural Ambassador Program at Backspace Gallery, located at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, from 5-29 March  Harmony Week Intercultural Celebration – an evening celebrating cultural diversity featuring delicious multicultural foods and special guest performances with Ballarat Community Health and Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre. Held at Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre at the Ballarat South Community Hub, Tuppen Street, Sebastopol, on Friday 13 March from 6–9pm  Indian Kerala Food Fest celebrating authentic southern and northern Indian food with music and stalls at St Patrick’s Parish Hall, 3 Lyons Street South on Saturday 14 March at 5.30pm  Twilight Market presented by Ballarat Regional Multicultural Centre (BRMC). Held at the Ballarat Welcome Centre, 25-39 Barkly Street, Bakery Hill on Friday 20 March, 5-8pm  Baháʼí Naw Ruz (New Year) – a festive celebration to usher in the Bahá’í New Year, held at the Ballarat South Community Hub, on Friday 20 March from 6-8.30pm  The Walk with Us and Holi Festival of Colours – featuring throwing of the colours from 12pm. Presented by the Centre for Multicultural Youth and the Ballarat Indian Association along with supporting partners on Saturday 21 March, 11am-3pm   The Intercultural City Gala Dinner featuring a three-course dinner and live entertainment featuring multicultural performers Amaru Tribe, Mitch Tambo, Nesian Pearl and Hanz on drumming. Held at the Mercure Convention Centre on Friday 27 March at 6.30pm 

Download the full program of events at ballarat.vic.gov.au. Hard copies are available at the Town Hall Visitor Information Centre, The Phoenix Customer Service, 25 Armstrong Street South, the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council’s Welcome Centre, 25 Barkly Street, Bakery Hill, and all three Ballarat Libraries.  

The City of Ballarat is committed to building a culturally aware and socially cohesive community through a range of initiatives, such as Harmony Fest, the Intercultural Ambassador Program, the development of the Intercultural City Strategic Plan 2018-21 and by declaring Ballarat as a Refugee Welcome Zone.  

For more information, follow Harmony Fest on Facebook or visit ballarat.vic.gov.au