National Multicultural Festival Draws Mixed Reviews on the Saturday

Saturday marked the final day of the National Multicultural Festival in Canberra for Join the Adventure, concluding with a blend of fulfilment and realising there is a little room for improvement. Despite the festival’s vibrant atmosphere, characterised by diverse entertainment, food delights, and beverages, observations varied as crowds of people explored the event’s offerings.

A standout find for us lay outside the festival, Assembly, affectionately dubbed “The People’s Pub,” nestled in the bustling heart of Braddon. Assembly is known for its contemporary pub experience, boasting tasty pub style food served with a side of attentive and friendly hospitality. Patrons revelled in the establishment’s inviting ambiance, relishing the opportunity to unwind with drinks while soaking in the lively street scenes.

However, as we headed back to the festival, we noticed the crowd numbers were softer compared to Friday. While this meant shorter queues at food stalls, it also underscored a scarcity of food options compared to previous years. Some marquees that buzzed with activity on Friday remained eerily vacant on Saturday, highlighting a potential area for improvement in future iterations.

Also, despite the breadth of attractions on offer, a return of street performers to the festival would be a fantastic touch.

While obligatory Acknowledgements of Country were announced regularly on the many stages, it was apparent that an Indigenous presence was missing, alongside the showcasing of the Australian culture.

Reflecting on the overall experience, we can’t wait to get back to the National Multicultural Festival next year.

The festival is Australia’s premier multicultural three-day event, uniting over 170 multicultural communities to celebrate their culture, history, and heritage through the means of food, art, song, and dance.

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