We are so fortunate to be home to such a culturally diverse community here on the Sunshine Coast, where people from all corners of the globe thrive harmoniously.
To celebrate the melting pot of cultures in our region, the Multicultural Moon Festival will shine its light on Mooloolaba on September 29 and 30.
The family-friendly event is a space where residents can promote and share traditional culture and participate in artistic competitions and performances.
Sunshine Coast Council Community Portfolio Councillor David Law says our region is home to migrants from 150 countries, with 96 different languages spoken and one-in-five residents born overseas
“The Multicultural Moon Festival is a time to reflect on how wonderfully diverse our region is and celebrate the number of cultures we’re lucky to have on the Coast,” Cr Law says.
“Our Sunshine Coast has attracted many people who enrich our culture by choosing to call this region home.
“Festivals like this provide an opportunity to connect with others and engage with community members from different and diverse backgrounds.”
This year’s Moon Festival begins with a special children’s movie under the stars on Mooloolaba beach from 6pm on Friday, September 29.
Official festivities run from 3-7pm on Saturday, September 30, with a plethora of activities planned for everyone including eclectic markets and activity stalls.
Visitors will be treated to enthralling multicultural entertainment, including a Russian dance performance, fire dance show and Chinese classical dance, followed by a spectacular moon ceremony at 6.40pm.
The program will end with a fireworks spectacular from 7.10pm.
Sunshine Coast Chinese Association (SCCA) committee member Charlie Murong says the festival is all about uniting different cultures, including new migrants who are seeking connections in the community, to enhance a sense of belonging.
“SCCA would like to enhance the sense of cultural belonging not only for our community, but also encourage multicultural migrants to showcase their cultural celebrations and to celebrate together with all residents,” Mr Murong says.
“We’re working hard on this mission, because it’s where we call home for ourselves and the next generations.”
For more information, search for ‘Multicultural Moon Festival – Sunshine Coast’ on Facebook.
