COFFS Harbour’s cultural diversity will take centre stage at the Jetty Harbourside Markets next month when the International Food and Dance Festival – IFAD – brings a colourful mix of music, dance and food to the foreshore.
The festival, to be held from 8.30am to 2pm on Sunday, October 11, will be free this year, with more than a dozen different cuisines and performances representing communities from across the region and beyond.
Chairperson Dr Jay Ruthnam said the festival was the main annual event of the Coffs Coast Multicultural Society (CCMS) and reflected its goal of building connections across the community.
Coffs Harbour has proven to be a vibrant melting pot, with 15.6 per cent of its residents born overseas and countless more with deep multicultural roots.
“Simply, we wish to connect people with the intention of encouraging a cohesive and diverse community by showcasing the international music and dance that we find here in Coffs Harbour,” said Dr Ruthnan.
The morning will begin with a Smoking Ceremony conducted by Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation representative Troy Robinson, and a Welcome to Country and dance by Aunty Jenny Skinner.
CCMS president Htun Htun Oo will then officially welcome festival-goers before a packed program of performances gets underway.
The festival will showcase an electrifying lineup of performances from around the world – Kachin dancers from Myanmar, Indonesian and Karenni dancers, Shigale Yazidi dance, All Nesian Whanua, Kerala dance, Japanese drumming and dance, Filipino and Latino performances, Thai dancers, a Burundian children’s dance group, Dabke dance and a German musician and singer.
There will also be a performance by the Singlish Choir, an Indigenous musician, and the Coffs Coast Pipes and Drums to bring the festival to a grand finale.
Food will be a major part of the celebration, with more than a dozen different international cuisines available throughout the day.
Dr Ruthnam said moving the festival to the Harbourside Markets was deliberate, allowing it to be free and easily accessible while bringing the celebration into the heart of a popular community gathering.
“The Jetty Harbourside Market is a community activity and having it host IFAD this year provides an opportunity for our wider community to experience the cultural fabric of our rich and diverse multicultural community,” he said.
“We also hope that it may encourage new members to our multicultural group.”
The Coffs Coast Multicultural Society was established in 2023, with the first festival held at Cavanbah Hall in 2024 and the 2025 event at the Coffs Harbour Showground.
This year’s festival has been made possible through support from the Harbourside Market, Coffs Harbour City Council, Mid North Coast Local Health District, TAFE, Baringa Private Hospital and OzHarvest.
Dr Ruthnam said holding the festival later in the year also had its advantages.
“After winter, it’s a great way to get people together to celebrate who we are and be optimistic about the future given the terrible events in recent years,” he said.
With communities from other regions also expected to attend, he hopes the festival will become a vibrant celebration of the people, cultures and traditions that make up the Coffs Coast.
The International Food and Dance Festival is free and will run from 8.30am to 2pm on Sunday, October 11, at the Jetty Harbourside Markets.
By Leigh WATSON
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