Victoria’s largest free multicultural event returns to Pakington Street

PAKO Festa is Victoria’s largest free multicultural street festival, winning the prestigious Premier’s Award for Community Harmony last year.

The annual event celebrates Geelong’s diversity through food, dance and music in Pakington Street, Geelong West.

Pako Festa was established in 1983 and has been one of the highlights on the Geelong Events Calendar.

According to Cultura chief executive officer Joy Leggo, the successful event attracts crowds of more than 100,000 people each year and fulfils its purpose, which is to celebrate local diversity.

Ms Leggo said the festival brought diverse community groups together and offers a safe environment to share culture with the broader community.

“The event for our local communities is a major fundraiser and we aim to have more than 25 community food stalls all offering a unique experience that will send your tastebuds around the world.

“Cultura delivers the event in partnership with our local diverse communities and is working closely with over 40 diverse groups to ensure we can continue to raise the awareness of established and new and emerging communities and most importantly invite Pako Festa audiences to make all communities feel welcomed.

“The Street Parade – one of the major attractions of the event – will kick off at 11am and is shaping into one of the most colourful and vibrant displays of communities for its 42nd year.

“This year we are introducing a few new community faces, including Geelong Latin American Movement (GLAM); it’s all very exciting.

“New to Pako Festa in 2024 is also a Global Craft Market inside the Geelong West Town Hall, running from 12.30pm – 5pm.

“This new element is guaranteed to engage and take you on a journey around the globe via traditional crafts with a contemporary twist.

“Discover the rich flavours of Hazara cuisine as the community makes its culinary debut including serving up their traditional chicken biriyani accompanied with authentic bolanis and pakoras.”

Pako Festa is presented by Cultura and supported by the Victorian government, City of Greater Geelong, many corporate and business partners and the Pakington Street Traders.

It will be held on Pakington Street (between Gordon Avenue and Waterloo Street), Geelong West on February, 24 from 9am-5pm.

All performance stages start from 12.30pm.

For all the program details and highlights, head to pakofesta.com.au