By JONATHON HOWARD
PEACE Festival co-ordinator Ruth Powers has praised the hard work of volunteers who helped make the festival a success on Sunday, 5 May.
“We have had many, many positive comments and expressions of gratitude about the program and about the great atmosphere which everyone enjoyed,” she said.
“The One World Day showed what goodwill, with a wish to contribute to something bigger, can add to the richness of our community life.”
The event attracted crowds of more than 2000 throughout the day who enjoyed a host of activities including a diverse and very entertaining music program – Tongan and Indian dancers, a Chinese zither player, Iranian violin, dulcimer, didgeridoo, circus performers, choirs, Celtic folk music, American Indian dance along with local bagpipes, world music and ukulele groups.
Special guests from Kumiyama Japan demonstrated the traditional martial art Kendo and then offered the opportunity to festival goers to try their hand at the bamboo sword-wielding art in a Kendo workshop.
Children were well catered for thanks to the dedicated and creative team at the children’s tent headed by Angela, Wanda and Sam. There was a range of crafts and games alongside the Saddler’s Circus – circus skills workshops. And of course the camel rides were a big hit.
A riverside Harmony Walk at dusk was enjoyed by a huge crowd of all ages with the crazy Samba Blisstas drummers and their workshop participants leading the way.
For more information and to find out how to get involved with the Peace Festival, phone 4661 5420.
