What’s new at this year’s Nimbin MardiGrass festival

NIMBIN is preparing to welcome visitors from across the region and beyond as its iconic MardiGrass festival returns from May 1 to 3, continuing a long-standing tradition rooted in activism and alternative culture.

Festival organisers say interest is building strongly for this year’s event, with Nimbin MardiGrass president Michael Balderstone pointing to shifting attitudes around cannabis use.

“Maybe with legal medical cannabis so popular now and easily available over the phone the stigma around smoking pot is fading a bit,” he said. “Definitely there is renewed interest in cannabis as more and more people discover what an awesome safe medicine it is for so many ailments, and the hippies weren’t so mad after all.”

The opening ceremony will take place at 5pm on Friday 1 May with the hemp Olympix taking place at 12pm Saturday 2 May and the Kombi Konvoy at 4.20pm.

The MardiGrass Cannabis Law Reform Rally & Parade will be held on Sunday May 3 at 2.30pm.

This year’s program will also feature international guest Ethan Nadelmann, a New York-based advocate known for founding the Drug Policy Alliance, adding a global perspective to the village’s annual gathering.

Among the newer additions to the program is a Women in Cannabis morning tea at the Bush Theatre, bringing together a diverse group of activists, healers, growers, storytellers and educators. Speakers include Kyla de Clifford, Fiona Patten, Melanie Wentzel, Bee Mohamed, Rachel Payne, Chrissie Butler and Christina McMullen.

Nimbin’s association with alternative culture dates back more than 50 years. Once a quiet dairy town, it was transformed after hosting the Aquarius Festival in 1973, an event that drew thousands and helped establish the area as a hub for sustainable living and countercultural ideas. In the lead-up, buildings were painted in bright colours, and many of the 10,000 attendees stayed on, forming communes in the surrounding region.

MardiGrass began in 1993 as a protest movement aimed at raising awareness of cannabis laws and advocating for the rights of users. Over time, it has grown into a widely recognised festival celebrating community, creativity and alternative lifestyles, while maintaining its original message of reform.