Activism and celebration at Nimbin Mardigrass

HIPPIES and tourists flocked to Australia’s counterculture capital last weekend for the annual Nimbin MardiGrass festival.

The vibrant event featured a colourful parade on Sunday afternoon led by a Bundjalung custodian performing an Indigenous smoking ceremony, followed by dancing Ganja Faeries in green costumes. A convoy of iconic kombi vans also delighted spectators on Saturday.

Festivalgoers browsed market stalls offering hemp clothing and products, while panels of cannabis experts delved into the medical, scientific and political issues surrounding cannabis and other medicinal plants. Topics ranged from botanical research and mushroom cultivation to harm reduction strategies and the growing mainstream interest in psychedelic therapy.

Volunteers from local organisation Jungle Patrol played a key role in keeping the festival safe and running smoothly, helping with tasks such as first aid and traffic management.

Nimbin MardiGrass president Michael Balderstone said he was pleased with how the weekend unfolded.

“Like the farmers we’re quite dependant on the weather and it was really kind to us,” he said.

“It was a terrific crowd with absolutely minimal problems, and I appreciate the police gave us room to move and they were pretty cool. There was lots of great music, excellent talks and very happy good vibes.”

Once a small dairy town, Nimbin became a haven for alternative lifestyles after hosting the Aquarius Festival, which celebrated sustainable and alternative lifestyles, in 1973. In preparation, organisers painted the town’s buildings in bright colours.

Many of the festival’s 10,000 attendees stayed to establish communes in 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 grown into a broader celebration of alternative culture and lifestyle.