Radio Brisvaani
Since 1997, the Buddha Birth Day Festival has grown into one of Queensland’s most prestigious cultural events, attracting in excess of 200,000 visitors.
Each year at the beginning of May, red lanterns line the banks of the Brisbane River at the South Bank Parklands, as thousands gather celebrate the birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of the biggest and fastest-growing non-Christian religion in Australia, Buddhism. This year the Buddha Birth Day Festival is proud to be celebrating its 22th anniversary at the Parklands at Southbank.
The Festival continues to showcase the diversity of Australia’s multicultural society, as visitors can enjoy a relaxed environment surrounded by a range of displays, entertained by a variety of performances and experience, many cultural customs and activities and vegetarian food. It is a Festival for everyone, regardless of ages, religious or cultural backgrounds.
This year’s Buddha Birth Day Festival saw over 180 events spread throughout 13 locations around the Southbank Parklands with the creation of six villages. The main highlights were FUN VILLAGE with full of activities for the children; CULTURAL VILLAGE at the Rainforest Green transformed into our biggest Lumbini Garden display to date to enjoy the peaceful and green surroundings during outdoor meditation or Taiichi classes; WISDOM VILLAGE to get questions answered on Buddhism; SPIRITUAL VILLAGE to participate in the Bathing Buddha ritual which runs throughout the day or pop by in the evening to make a light offering for world peace; VEGETARIAN FOOD VILLAGE for the food lovers at the Cultural Forecourt was a feast for the senses. The aroma of vegetarian cooking made all visitors taste the various Eastern and Western cuisines on offer.
