Pakington Street will once again play host to the iconic Pako Festa, as Victoria’s largest multicultural festival comes home after two years of COVID-19 interruptions.
Pako Festa 2023, the 41st edition of the festival, will be held on Saturday, February 25th in Pakington Street between Gordon Avenue and Waterloo Street after being cancelled in 2021 and relocated to the Northern Community Hub in Norlane in 2022.
Cultura CEO Joy Leggo said her organisation was thrilled to return the outdoor street party to its original home in a celebration of “the extraordinary contribution of individuals, cultural groups and multicultural communities in Geelong and across Australia”.
“That’s right, we are bringing Pako Festa back to Pako,” Ms Leggo said.
“This successful event attracts crowds of over 100,000 people and fulfils its purpose, which is to celebrate local diversity.
“The event brings diverse community groups together and offers a safe environment in which to share their culture with the broader community while fostering a spectacular cultural experience full of music, colour, food, costumes, dance and movement.”
Ms Leggo said after the isolation and disconnection caused by COVID-19, Pako Festa was all about bringing people back together.
“The theme for 2023 will be ‘Sharing and Connecting Cultures: the Reunion’,” she said.
“This is about human reconnection, not only within the diverse communities, but with the broader Geelong community as well.”
Cultura, which was formed by the merger of Diversitat and Multicultural Aged Care Services (MACS) and whose services throughout Greater Geelong include youth, community and arts programs, aged care and Pulse radio station, will deliver the event.
Ms Leggo said Cultural would draw on the 70-plus years of experience of its parent organisations in bringing Pako Festa 2023 to Geelong.
“We have an ambitious intent to connect, inspire and embrace culturally diverse individuals throughout their entire life journey, and after 70 years, I think we’re just getting started,” Ms Leggo said.
Anyone wishing to get involved in Pako Festa as a performer, volunteer or food truck vendor can contact Cultura at www.pakofesta.com.au.
