Great Stupa ready to shine

LIGHTS and colours will return to the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion next month for the Illumin8 celebration.

From 6pm to 8pm on Saturday, 4 June, the sacred Buddhist building and adjoining Peace Park will feature art installations and colours, topped off by a fireworks display.

Marketing and events manager at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Matt Griffin, said Illumin8 is the monument’s festival of light and peace.

“It originated as a celebration of Buddha’s life, it commemorates his birth, the enlightenment and death of Buddha, according to the Tibetan festival of Saga Dawa where this whole festival originated from,” he said.

“We’ve run with that and turned it into a really fun, family-friendly event with all our light installations, vendors and food, with multicultural and other religious performers as well.”

Mr Griffin said the celebration hasn’t been held at its full capacity since 2019, and this year will be the first time fireworks will be fired off from the top of the Stupa, after the parasol and finial installed in 2020.

“We have a new light installation that tells the story of Buddha which will look great,” he said.

“We’ve put together a new immersive light show, it’s never been seen before.

“Our Peace Park will be lit up beautifully with fairy lights, animals and different colours. The Great Stupa will have lights shining on it giving it great patterns and exposure. We’re very excited to put that on for everybody.”

Local vendors will be offering unique vegetarian food, and cultural performances and Buddhist ceremonies will also take place throughout the evening.

Tickets are available at bit.ly/3vM96qm.