Saturday 29th FEBRUARY 2020 9am – 5pm
Victoria’s biggest free celebration of cultural diversity
ONE STREET. 43 CULTURES.
Street Parade / Food / Performance/ Workshops /Exhibitions /Family
2019 theme ‘Generations’
The importance of embracing culture, respecting its history, past, present and future
Pako Festa 2019 Event in Review
Wow what a day!
Pako Festa 2019 saw well over 100,000 people getting together to embrace and celebrate our fantastic ethnic diversity on a perfect summers day!
From 9am when the first people arrived until 5.00pm when the last tired revelers headed home, the event provided a fabulous showcase of our cultural diversity. People danced, they sang, they participated and they enjoyed. They feasted on a smorgasbord of cultural food, folk dancing, workshops, exhibitions and entertainment on six world music stages. It was a day of peace, joy and “feel good” fun that appealed to participants of all ages and all backgrounds.
But the greatest thanks we save for the people of Geelong. It is the people who attended Pako Festa who made it such a magnificent day. So thanks for attending in such impressive numbers, thanks for celebrating in such peace and harmony, and thanks for helping us to send a powerful message to the broader community – multiculturalism is alive and well and living in Geelong!
The Great Pako Festa Parade did not disappoint, full of colour and movement with nearly 70 entries parading along Pakington Street. Congratulations to all the parade winners, the huge amount of community support, commitment and long hours was evident in all entries!
Geelong Karen Community: Most Culturally Aware
Geelong Russian Community: Most innovative Use of Theme “Generations”
Geelong Turkish Community: Best Musical Entry
St. Patrick’s Primary School: Best School Entry
The 2019 Pako Festa is delivered by Diversitat and is supported by The Victorian State Government, Victorian Multicultural Commission, Channel 7 and the City of Greater Geelong. In addition, it could not be delivered without the support of the local diverse communities, Pakington Street Traders and many other local and non-local organisations and businesses contributing to the event.
Thanks to the following new Community Sponsors including The Bank of Melbourne, TAC and Pacific Smiles while we welcomed back The BCC Group, Viatek, Adroit Insurance & Risk, Deakin University, WorkSafe, Geelong Advertiser, SC Technology Group, VicSuper, Furphy and the Pakington Strand.
To view the amazing photo galleries from the 2019 event day visit our facebook page!
Above photos taken by Chrissie Francis
The Pako Story
Pako Festa dates back to 1983, when the Ethnic Communities Council Inc. got together with Geelong West Traders and Geelong West City Council with an ambitious idea for a community-driven party that celebrated the region’s diverse cultural communities.
Much has changed since 1983. The very first Pako attracted 12,000 people and ended with a tug of war! In 2017, over 100,000 people attended, 5,000 people took part in the street parade and 10,000 people performed on five stages.
These days the festival is organised by Diversitat and has grown into Victoria’s largest free multi-arts and cultural party. Some things remain the same. Pako is about community and is led by community. The event celebrates and highlights the extraordinary contribution of individuals, cultural groups and multicultural communities in Geelong and across Australia.
Join us at this year’s Pako and share in the enriching connections of culture.
Photo supplied by Phil Hines
