Join us during Harmony Fest 2025 in Ballarat from Friday 14 March - Thursday 27 March 2025, to celebrate our culturally diverse community and their contributions to society.
In March 2025, Victoria will come together for Cultural Diversity Week, and celebrate the power, influence, and stories of Victoria's rich multicultural communities. The 2025 Cultural Diversity Week theme invites us to weave a tapestry of vibrant experiences with "Everyone belongs."
Join us for the Harmony Day Celebrations, at the Intercultural Garden, followed by a morning tea.
All Welcome.
#CulturalDiversityWeek
#CDW2025
#Everyonebelongs
A free community event, with music, dance, and activities for families and everyone at the Bridge Mall. (The above image is from last years celebrations)
Since it was launched in 2010, Harmony Fest has become the City of Ballarat’s vibrant celebration of diversity.
Harmony Fest wraps around Harmony Day, the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated on 21 March. The day encourages Australians to come together to reflect on and celebrate the many cultures that create our great nation.
Learn more about National Harmony Week
The City of Ballarat is committed to providing an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment for individuals within the community. Please find below a description of the facilities and services that we currently offer. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Dimitri Dollard, Intercultural Services Officer at dimitridollard@ballarat.vic.gov.au or call 0457 899 714
Accessible parking is available and there are 27 accessible parking spaces in the major carparks and on the roads surrounding the Bridge Mall. They are:
If you have any concerns, please make contact prior to the event via the telephone number or email provided to discuss further.
This is for dropping off only, strictly no parking.
There are two accessible toilets located close the Bridge Mall they are:
Little Bridge Street Car Park
Curtis Street Car Park
Changing place facility available onsite and is located at the entry at Gate 1, right-hand side.
Ballarat Library Changing Place (Near Doveton St entrance) – 1.1 kilometers distance from Bridge Mall
Ballarat Town Hall Adult Change Facility (Bath Lane) – 600 meters distance from Bridge Mall
To navigate Harmony Fest, look for the yellow accessibility signs and the volunteers in bright vests. Main entrances are clearly marked, and directional signage will guide you to the performance area, food stalls, and bathrooms. If you need assistance, don't hesitate to ask a volunteer.
Harmony Fest Ballarat supports the Hidden Disability Sunflower. The Sunflower is a globally recognised symbol for all abilities. The lanyard is a way for people to indicate to staff that they may need extra support, time, and understanding.
It is ok if you don’t have a lanyard, you can still get help when you need it.
With the major redevelopment of the Bridge Mall there are various surfaces including bitumen, concrete, bluestone blocks, bluestone pavers, and slate pavers all with varying accessibility.
Bitumen pathways along Cutis Street; little ridge Street; Peel Street; and Grenville Street
Due to bluestone block laneways the most accessible route in to the festival is either from Grenville Street or Peel Street. (pinks accessible signs show the way)
Once inside the ridge mall the are two surfaces which are bluestone pavers and slate pavers. The bluestone pavers are accessible and people with mobility issues will be able to move freely. The slate pavers are uneven and may cause some issues for people with mobility issues, help may be needed.
Assistance Animals are permitted entry into the festival. Patrons are encouraged to display a "Service Animal" or similar identification on the Assistance Animal when visiting the venue. Please bring any necessary supporting documentation.
Green-space area for assistance animals (urination, water etc.) is located at the Norwich Plaza western end of the Bridge Mall
Harmony Fest are considerate of people with sensory needs can make accommodations if required
Sound
Music, singing, large crowd. Please feel free to bring noise cancelling headphones if needed.
Sight
Stage lights and other people.
Feel
Changes in ground surfaces, shared personal space and weather.
Smell
Food
The City of Ballarat has developed a Social Story to help guests understand what to expect from the Harmony Fest experience. This may help determine the suitability of the experience and may help to alleviate anxiety.
Ballarat’s biggest annual event, the Ballarat Begonia Festival, will spring to life again this weekend. From stunning garden displays to captivating celebrity guests, brilliant family entertainment to the best local food and drink, interactive competitions to live music, and of course the PowerFM Begonia Festival Parade – the 73rd Ballarat Begonia Festival promises to be as big and bustling as ever.
When: 8-10 March.
Where: Ballarat Botanical Gardens
Bookings: this is a FREE event.
Event information: Ballarat Begonia Festival
Celebrate the official opening of the Bridge Mall Redevelopment with live carnival entertainment, family activities, a vintage car showcase and a brand new shopping experience.
When: 15-16 March
Where: Bridge Mall
Bookings: this is a FREE event.
Event information: Bridge Mall Redevelopment official opening
Every year in March, Ballarat comes together to celebrate the city’s wonderful cultural diversity with Harmony Fest.
When: events will take place between 14 - 27 March.
Where: various locations across Ballarat.
Bookings: these are FREE events.
Event information: Ballarat Harmony Fest
Let's Chat Ballarat will provide community members with an opportunity to provide in-person feedback, engage with Councillors and staff and learn more about local services and city's priorities.
When: Thursday 20 March - 4pm to 8pm, Friday 21 March - 9am to 1pm
Where: Civic Hall, 300-304 Mair Street, Ballarat
Bookings: This is a FREE event.
Event information: Let's Chat Ballarat Community Expo
Acclaimed singer Sarah Blasko is doing her first regional tour since 2017 off the back of her new album, I Just Need to Conquer this Mountain, which debuted at #6 on the ARIA Australian Album Chart and was crowned Double J Feature Album.
When: 6.30pm, 22 March.
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Tickets: $59.90 - This event is 18+ only.
Event information: Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat
The Ballarat Ageing Well Expo 2025 provides older community members, families and carers with an opportunity to connect with local aged care service providers and to find out more about available local services, community health, advocacy and support groups.
When: 10am-2pm, 26 March
Where: Mercure Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre
Bookings: this is a FREE event.
Event information: Ballarat Ageing Well Expo 2025
Visit the Ballarat CBD as Sturt Street comes alive this Easter.
When: Friday 11 April - Thursday 24 April
Where: Ballarat CBD
Bookings: these are FREE activities
Event information: Ballarat in the know - Easter in Ballarat
This festival is all about mixing old and new, retro with innovation, celebrating country and culture, and a region that’s proud and historic while evolving as a modern city.
When: 16 – 25 May
Where: Events held across Ballarat
Bookings: a mix of FREE and paid activities.
Event information: Ballarat Heritage Festival
Experience the unique artisanal work of Ballarat’s talented makers, artisans and artists at Craft Lab.
When: 16-25 May
Where: multiple venues across Ballarat.
Bookings: some events are free while others require tickets.
Event information: Creative Ballarat - Craft Lab 25.
Sydney Dance Company explodes onto the stage in Rafael Bonachela’s momenta, which takes audiences on a journey into the poetry and physicality of human bonds.
When: 3 May
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Bookings: varying prices, $30+
Event information: Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat
Are you ready to celebrate all the different cultures that make Ballarat such a brilliant and diverse city?
Since launching in 2010 Harmony Fest has become Ballarat’s most vibrant celebration of cultural diversity, with the city about to come alive once again.
The festival, to be celebrated from 15 - 27 March, will be headlined by the Harmony Day Flag Raising Ceremony and Harmony by the Lake, with more than 30 events to be held across two weeks.
From Indian food festivals to Chinese library tours, global markets to daily musical performances in Sturt Street, there are many events on offer to help celebrate Ballarat’s cultural diversity.
In line with the Victorian Multicultural Commission, the 2024 Cultural Diversity Week theme invites us to weave a tapestry of vibrant experiences with "Our Shared Stories - Celebrating Together."
Attending the launch of the 2024 Harmony Fest Program at Latin American restaurant Pancho on Mair Street, City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said Harmony Fest had created a better understanding of Ballarat’s cultural diversity.
“As the first officially recognised Intercultural City in Australia of the Intercultural Cities Network, we pride ourselves on maximising and valuing our cultural diversity in Ballarat,” he said.
“An Intercultural City is where diversity is deemed to be the norm and an advantage. What better way to showcase our diversity than Harmony Fest?
“I encourage people to explore the program, see what we have on offer and see what they can get out of Harmony Fest this year.”
Details for the two key events are as follows:
Harmony Fest is designed to align with Harmony Day, the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated on 21 March. The day encourages Australians to come together to reflect on and celebrate the many cultures that create our great nation.
Harmony Fest aligns to the City of Ballarat’s Intercultural City Strategic Plan 2022-26 which prioritizes: Responsive Service Delivery, Active Citizenship, Leadership and Advocacy, Maximizing and Valuing Diversity.
To view the full program, visit the City of Ballarat website.
Are you ready to experience a world of culture, music, food and dance?
Ballarat’s most vibrant celebration of cultural diversity, Harmony Fest, is back for another year.
Being celebrated for the 13th year, the theme for the 2023 event is: Our Past. Our Future: celebrating and reflecting on the contributions of Victoria's multicultural communities.
The festival, to be celebrated on 16-26 March, will be headlined by three key activities, with more than 25 events to be held across 11 days.
The highlights of the celebration will include:
Harmony Fest wraps around Harmony Day, the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated on Tuesday 21 March. The day encourages Australians to come together to reflect on and celebrate the many cultures that create our great nation.
The festival aligns to the City of Ballarat’s Intercultural City Strategic Plan 2022-26 which promotes responsive service delivery, active citizenship, leadership and advocacy, and maximising and valuing diversity.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said Harmony Week was momentous, especially with Ballarat being accredited the first Intercultural City in Australia.
“We want Ballarat to be a place where diversity is viewed as the norm and we feel we have done a tremendous amount of work to get to that point,” Cr Hudson said.
“Harmony Week is about celebrating all the different cultures that have contributed so much to making Ballarat the place it is today.
“We might have different backgrounds and cultures but we all share the one city together and this week is about celebrating how we can live together in a vibrant, diverse and harmonious community.”
For the full program of Harmony Week events and for more information, visit the Harmony Week page on the City of Ballarat website or the Harmony Fest Facebook page.
Ballarat, it's time to celebrate all the different cultures that make our city such a brilliant, unique and diverse place to live.
Ballarat, it's time to celebrate all the different cultures that make our city such a brilliant, unique and diverse place to live.
Harmony Fest, Ballarat’s most vibrant celebration of cultural diversity, is back for another year.
A two-week festival, Harmony Fest runs from Friday 14 March to Thursday 27 March, with more than 20 different events to be part of the celebration.
The festival will be launched at the Intercultural Garden on the corner of Sturt and Pleasant Street on Friday 14 March, with City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves joining the City’s Intercultural Ambassadors and other intercultural leaders to kickstart the celebrations.
Harmony Fest encompasses Harmony Day, the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is celebrated on 21 March. The day encourages Australians to come together to reflect on and celebrate the many cultures that create our great nation.
The theme for 2025 Harmony Fest is ‘Everyone Belongs’.
This year, the City of Ballarat is planning a huge celebration in the heart of the city.
The flagship event for the festival will be ‘Harmony in the Mall’, a free community event in which everybody is invited to attend, featuring music, dance, food trucks, and activities for families in the newly-redeveloped Bridge Mall.
‘Harmony in the Mall’ will be held on Saturday 22 March from 10am-2pm, where the mall will come to life in a burst of colour, atmosphere and cuisine to celebrate Ballarat’s cultural diversity.
Cr Hargreaves said Harmony Fest was crucial to highlight the City of Ballarat’s commitment to building a culturally aware and socially cohesive community.
“We are a city that embraces people from a diverse range of backgrounds, which is why events like Harmony Fest are so important,” she said.
“Cultural diversity should not just be accepted, it should be celebrated, and that’s exactly what this festival is about.
“I encourage everybody to attend one of the many events on offer, especially the Harmony in the Mall event, which sounds like an incredible day.”
Harmony Fest aligns with the City of Ballarat’s Intercultural City Strategic Plan 2022-26, which lists “maximising and valuing diversity” as one of the key priority areas.
To learn more about Harmony Fest 2025 and to see the full program, visit the City of Ballarat website.
