National Multicultural Festival 2025 Canberra Set to Host Three Day Celebration of Culture, Food and Community
The National Multicultural Festival will return to the heart of Canberra from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 February 2025, transforming the city centre into a vibrant celebration of culture, food, music and community representing more than 170 multicultural groups from across Australia and the world.
Festival overview
Over three days, the 2025 National Multicultural Festival will feature more than 270 stalls and more than 200 performances across multiple stages and venues, turning Civic into a showcase of global traditions, stories and creative expression. Organisers say the event is designed not only as a party, but as a space for people to explore, learn and connect through cultural exchange in the heart of the nation’s capital.
Stages, music and performances
The festival will officially open at 5pm on Friday with a ceremony honouring Ngunnawal culture, including a Welcome to Country by Aunty Violet Sheridan, storytelling by Johnny Huckle and a performance by the Ngunnawal Dance Academy. Across the weekend, eight stages and venues will host a packed program spanning everything from reggae and K-pop to traditional dance, Indigenous music and contemporary Australian acts.
Headline performers include Zimbabwean-born, Canberra-based soul and R&B artist Thndo on Friday night, and ARIA-winning Gamilaraay singer-songwriter Thelma Plum, whose Sunday afternoon set will bring deeply personal, culture-rich ballads to the main stage. Specialty showcases will range from the Mini Nepal in Australia program with Nepalese popstar Asmita Adhikari, to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Showcase featuring acclaimed storyteller Frank Yamma, as well as themed events like Cowboys & Cowgirls from Around the World, an Azerbaijan Dance & Music Workshop, Rio Samba, Son de Mexico, Kokoloco dancers, The Seben Brothers, Assyrian dance-rock group Azadoota and more.
Global food and markets
Food will again be one of the major drawcards, with hundreds of food stalls and food trucks inviting visitors to “eat around the world” in one weekend. The culinary program launches with “Foodie Friday”, promising everything from paella, raclette and Brazilian hot dogs to Japanese rice burgers, smoky slow-cooked meats, sizzling kebabs, delicate baos, tacos and dumplings.
Akuna Street will host Food Truck Alley, where the aromas of smoked meats, street-style snacks and specialty drinks will fill the air, alongside a dumpling offering that spans Chinese xiaolongbao through to Tibetan momos. Sweet options will include classic multicultural desserts such as baklava, cannoli and Portuguese tarts, giving festival-goers a chance to finish their food journey with a taste of Europe and the Middle East.
Hands-on culture and family activities
Beyond the stages and food, the festival will offer a wide range of interactive, family-friendly and educational activities designed to bring culture to life. Visitors will be able to try saree draping, sample Chinese ink painting, feel the beat in African drumming workshops and explore global cinema through the Multicultural Film Festival at Elise’s Film House.
Sunday will feature live cooking demonstrations showcasing dishes such as Chinese chive buns and crispy street-style tofu, while embassy villages and Sunday-only market stalls will present jewellery, handicrafts and clothing from around the world. Families can join the colourful Smartraveller Parade at 4pm on Saturday, which will feature participants from more than 50 cultures in national and traditional dress, alongside music and dance as the procession winds through the city.
Throughout the weekend, children will be catered for with bilingual story-time sessions and an Instrument Petting Zoo at the Canberra Museum and Gallery in partnership with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, while parents can make use of a Family Sanctuary with quieter spaces, face painting and craft. Seniors will have access to a dedicated “Chill Zone” hosted by COTA at the Civic Library, offering a calm retreat from the crowds, and all ages are invited to join in a family-friendly silent disco after dark.
Getting there and more information
The festival will take place in Canberra’s city centre, with organisers promoting the central location as easy to reach by free public transport and shuttle bus services running across the weekend. For interstate visitors and those wanting to stay in the city, a range of discounted accommodation packages will be available through participating hotels partnering with the event.
Canberrans and visitors are being encouraged to mark 7–9 February 2025 in their calendars and “come hungry and curious”, ready to immerse themselves in the flavours, sounds and stories of cultures from every corner of the globe. Full program details, maps, accommodation deals and accessibility information are available at the official festival website, multiculturalfestival.com.au.
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