What’s on the Harmony Fest line up?

THE city’s annual Harmony Festival is preparing to deliver its community program for the eleventh year.

Running from 12 to 23 March, there’s a variety of events, installations and workshops for people to get involved in.

At its core, City of Ballarat intercultural partnerships officer Lisa Collins said the Harmony Festival is and always has been about celebrating Ballarat’s rich cultural diversity.

“It wraps around cultural diversity week and celebrates Harmony Day on 21 March,” she said.

“The City puts on a few events but it’s mainly community driven events that makes the festival as big as it is and shows the commitment the community to celebrate diversity and share aspects of different cultures.”

With a huge range of things on throughout March, one of the key events for participants and residents to look out for is the virtual flag raising ceremony.

Taking place on 16 March across from Ballarat’s Town Hall, speaker at the event and president of the Ballarat African Association Michael Akindeju said anyone can jump online and get involved in the event.

“I will be speaking at the flag raising ceremony and we are also co-hosting a panel event on the 27 March at the Eureka Centre talking about history,” he said.

“Looking at the line-up of events this year, it’s so encouraging to see the diversity and breadth of events included, it best showcases the different flavours and cultures we have here.

“It’s an opportunity, whether its online or face-to-face, to get together again at a time when we are dealing with depression, mental health issues, it’s a way to come together and embrace our common elements and differences.”

One of the headlining events is the annual gala, which Ms Collins said this year will be delivered virtually.

“We were lucky enough to postpone Mitch Tambo’s performance to this year’s gala,” she said.

“It will be a showcase with a range of performers, mostly local, this year on 26 March including Geoffrey Williams, Los Locos and the Australian Irish Dance Company.

“Everyone can watch because it’s a free online event this year, we’ll have messages from the mayor, intercultural cities representatives and the minister for intercultural affairs as well.”

To learn more about the festival and its events, visit facebook.com/harmonyfestballarat.