EVERY year Pakington Street becomes a sea of colour and humanity as Victoria’s largest free multicultural street festival comes to town.<\/p>\n
Pako Festa holds a special place in my heart.<\/p>\n
I remember attending the very first festa in 1983 as a 22-year-old, joining a lively, colourful and optimistic crowd of 12,000 people celebrating the cultures that make up our great city.<\/p>\n
As a former chair of Geelong Ethnic Communities Council, now known as Cultura, I was privileged to be involved in the festival and witness it grow and flourish year after year.<\/p>\n
Now Pako Festa attracts well over 100,000 people to Pakington Street and this year’s event was the biggest yet.<\/p>\n
This is why council is boosting its support for Pako Festa in the 2026\u201327 budget from $100,000 to $120,000.<\/p>\n
The extra funding will support Cultura in putting on its flagship festival as it continues to grow and thrive.<\/p>\n
And Pakington Street will be even more vibrant and beautiful in time for the 2027 Pako Festa next February following a makeover of this bustling cosmopolitan retail strip.<\/p>\n
Last month we finished upgrading multiple stretches of footpath delivering safer, more durable and accessible walkways for the thousands of people who visit Pakington Street every week.<\/p>\n
The project responded directly to community feedback about the previous footpaths, which were built about 30 years ago and were due for renewal.<\/p>\n
Pakington Street’s businesses are at the heart of what makes this precinct so special, creating local jobs, supporting community organisations and offering unique experiences that keep people coming back.<\/p>\n
Maintaining and enhancing the public spaces around them helps ensure they remain vibrant and competitive for years to come.<\/p>\n
And there is even more to look forward to on Pakington Street.<\/p>\n
A brand-new pocket park is planned for the corner of Pakington and Yuille streets, transforming an underutilised space into a welcoming place that supports connection, informal gatherings, public art and everyday enjoyment.<\/p>\n
The park will feature new paving, seating and beautification works, creating an inviting space that celebrates the rich cultural identity that has defined Pako for generations.<\/p>\n
It will enhance the site for future cultural programming and events like Pako Festa that strengthen inclusion, local pride and the precinct’s reputation as one of Geelong’s most popular destinations.<\/p>\n
We’ll also complete addition footpath upgrades as part of this project, working closely with Pakington Street Business Association, traders and residents to minimise impacts on the local community.<\/p>\n
The project has been developed in partnership with the association and community groups, with further community input to help shape the final design.<\/p>\n
Supported by a $250,000 Victorian government grant, alongside a $75,000 city contribution, it is another example of how we are investing in the future of this much-loved precinct.<\/p>\n
Together, these projects will ensure Pakington Street remains a place where people can gather, celebrate, shop and connect for many years to come.<\/p>\n
When the crowds return for Pako Festa, they will enjoy a street that is safer, more welcoming and better equipped to showcase the diversity, energy and pride that have made this festival such an enduring success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
EVERY year Pakington Street becomes a sea of colour and humanity as Victoria’s largest free multicultural street festival comes to town. Pako Festa holds a special place in my heart. I remember attending the very first festa in 1983 as a 22-year-old, joining a lively, colourful and optimistic crowd of 12,000 people celebrating the cultures […]<\/p>\n