Adelaide’s Underrated Global Foodie Paradise

In its third iteration, the Multicultural Festival will bring together more than 75 community groups from 45 nations and ethnicities to celebrate and showcase South Australia’s diversity. Since it began in 2013 as a biennial festival, the Multicultural Festival has grown each year and shifted to the central location of Rundle Mall.

The festival, which stretches down Rundle Mall and attracted in excess of 70,000 people in 2015) is a veritable cornucopia of cultures. It is potentially rivalled only by WOMADelaide for the diversity on show. Participants hailing from the likes of Peru, Bhutan, Russia, Nigeria, Turkey, Spain, Bosnia, Greece and Cambodia will be represented in the festival, with dozens more groups taking part.

Treats from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Parish of Saint Raphael

Food is a huge highlight of the year’s festival, with a multitude of different cuisines on offer to try from Asia, South America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. This year’s iteration will include cachapas (corn crumpets) from the Venezuelan community, traditional cakes from the Armenian Cultural Association and coxinha(fried dumplings) from the Brazilian Ethnic School of SA.

The Mexican Association will be out in force offering tacos and flautas among other tasty offerings

Attendees can expect to enjoy live musical and dance performances from a range of groups too. This year will see Australia Tamil Arts perform the ancient percussion of Parai Aattam, Wadaiko drumming from the Japanese ensemble Sansai, and the Gatka Academy of SA performing a hair-raising Sikh martial art sword demonstration.

There are a bevy of activities available for families on the day as well, with craft and dance workshops available for children to enjoy, including piñata making from the Mexican Association, matryoshka doll painting with the Russian Women’s Association and folk dancing workshops with the Adelaide International Folk Dancers.

Nayima Hassan performs a traditional dance for the  Arabic Language and Culture Association of SA

“Our state is home to people from more than 200 countries, and about 230,000 South Australians speak languages other than English at home,” said Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Zoe Bettison. “The festival is an opportunity for people to celebrate that diversity, and to experience foods and activities they might not have tried. It also provides a chance to meet some of our newer migrant communities.”

Multicultural Festival
Rundle Mall
Sunday, November 5
Free admission
multicultural.sa.gov.au

Header image: Traditional weaving demonstration from Diompillor Kissia SA