A full day of music and culture in the heart of Mackay offers plenty of promise for a great family day on Sunday 27 October 2013 from 9am til 8.15pm at Queens Park. This annual event is a must for people of all ages ; providing everyone with a chance to appreciate the cultural diversity that is an unexpected and delightful part of life in Mackay.
Colorful entertainment...
Moving from Brisbane where art and culture had been such a big part of my life I anticipated grieving the loss of art exhibitions; music festivals; cultural activities and the culinary delights of different cuisines. So I was delighted to discover that Mackay's population is more diverse than you expect; with nearly 12% of the people living here born overseas. This annual event is one of the more colourful ways that Mackay celebrates this diversity enabling people to share cultural stories and traditions through song and dance.
Global Grooves is an initiative of the Mackay Regional Council and is held annually. Entry is free and performances commence at 9am on the main stage (easy to find; not far from the Orchid House with ample parking nearby) and continue until 8.15pm when the Mackay Regional Council closes with a vivid and loud display of fireworks. Performances include Pacific Moves, Filipino Dancers, Solomon Island Dancers, Nepalese Dance, Indian Dancers and the Cali Sabor – Latin Band. Additional performances will be occurring on the nearby Village Stage.
...and cultural beats.
Pack a picnic lunch or purchase the yummy food from the stalls that form part of the food trail; but make sure you come prepared for the sun with plenty of sunscreen and a good hat.
Last year the festival included over 30 stalls and attracted 6,000 people. It sounds like a lot but if this event were to be held in Brisbane you'd spend 40 minutes finding a park and have to fight for a shady spot. In Mackay you don't have to worry about any of that; and instead can just make the most of the family fun and music.
The full program can be downloaded from the
Mackay Entertainment Convention Centre or viewed at
Mackay Tourism.
This year the boys and I will be checking out the free workshop to make our own lantern for the Diwali Lamp Festival (between 3pm – 7pm) and maybe I'll let their Dad take them to the drumming workshop while I sleep under a tree. Post the event I'll let you know how our cultural fiesta (and my siesta!) go.
