Peak Nimbin: official MardiGrass crowd count ends in “we lost count”

THOUSANDS of people descended on the tiny town of Nimbin over the weekend for the annual MardiGrass festival, drawn by events such as the Hemp Olympix, the Kombi convoy and Ganja Faeries dancing through the town in a colourful street parade.

“There was a really good vibe this year – a good energy, good spirit,” Nimbin MardiGrass president Michael Balderstone said.

“We were fortunate that the weather was beautiful; it didn’t rain too much. I think there was a lot more people at the parade than last year. I had someone counting but they lost count. We had to stop selling camping tickets on Friday because it was full, but that was partly because it was wet and muddy, so there would have been areas that they couldn’t camp.”

 

New York–based advocate Ethan Nadelmann, founder of the Drug Policy Alliance, was among this year’s drawcard speakers. The program also included an inaugural Women in Cannabis morning tea at the Bush Theatre.

The Hemp Olympix – which began in the lead-up to the Sydney Olympics – featured crowd-favourite contests such as bong throwing, while the Kombi Convoy rolled through town on Saturday afternoon.

“The doof on the basketball court was a definite highlight,” Balderstone said. “The sound, lighting and electrics were much better this year.”

 

On Sunday afternoon, children climbed trees and van lifers perched on the roofs of their vehicles for a better view of the parade. The parade began with a smoking ceremony led by Widjibal Elders of the Bundjalung nation, followed by Ganja Faeries dancers in green costumes and a procession of political and community groups, many in elaborate dress.

NSW Police Northern Region spokesperson Kieran Resevsky said local officers maintained a strong visible presence throughout the event, carrying out proactive community engagement, foot patrols and inspections of licensed premises across the township and surrounding areas.

 

“Operation Nimbin MardiGrass runs over the three-day event targeting anti-social behaviour, public order issues, drug- and alcohol-related crime and traffic offences,” he said.

While police were generally satisfied with the behaviour of the crowd, two people were charged with drink-driving and there were 55 positive drug detections, with offences now awaiting further analysis.

 

In addition, 56 traffic infringement notices were issued and 25 drivers were detected speeding.

Once a small dairy town, Nimbin became a haven for alternative lifestyles after hosting the Aquarius Festival celebrating sustainable living and countercultural ideals in 1973. Organisers painted the town’s buildings in vivid colours in preparation.

 

Many of the festival’s 10,000 attendees stayed on, forming communes across the region.

Launched in 1993, Nimbin MardiGrass was originally created to raise awareness about cannabis law reform and to advocate for the rights of those who use it for medicinal or recreational purposes. Since then, it has evolved into a broader celebration of alternative culture and lifestyle.