Colour and cuisine at multicultural festival

THE Garden for the Future in White Hills will burst into colour and activity when the popular Zinda Festival takes place there this month.

The festival, Bendigo’s largest annual celebration of cultural diversity, begins at 11am on Saturday 12 October.

Presented by Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services, the free festival features authentic cuisines, traditional performances, interactive activities for children, dance workshops and more.

Lead organiser Jason Newton said the site will come alive in a sea of colour and costumes and a long list of performers from local community groups will star on the main stage.

“Be sure to bring your dancing shoes as we celebrate,” he said. “Our K-Pop and Bollywood dance workshops will put a spring in your step and the African drumming ensemble will have the crowd moving its hips.

“The henna art, hair braiding and face painting activities will have everyone looking great and feeling rich with culture.”

Mr Newton, who co-ordinates festivals and events for LCMS, said the organisation had teamed up with the City of Greater Bendigo and the Bendigo Lions Club this year to offer free parking for the event.

“If you make your way to the corner of Kennewell Street and Hamelin Street, White Hills, you will be guided to your space by the volunteers,” he said.

“It is then a short 150m walk across the foot bridge.”

This year’s long list of performers includes the C-Maine Solomon Island Choir, Bendigo Australian Indonesian Klub, the Bendigo Filipino Cultural Dance Group, Attan-Hazara Afghan Men, the Sao Lum Wong Thai traditional dance group, the Kerala Hindu Society Bendigo, Hispanos Unidos De Victoria and more. There will also be a LCMS multicultural fashion show.

Mr Newton said the festival would not be possible without the support of the State Government and sponsorship from the City of Greater Bendigo, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and others.

“Zinda truly comes alive because of our heart-warming list of sponsors, partners, volunteers, community groups, performers, businesses and organisations,” he said.