Harmony Week kicks off with exciting festival on Saturday in Stow Gardens, celebration of joy and colour

Harmony Week kicked off in Geraldton with a Saturday afternoon of fun and celebration in Stow Gardens.

Every Harmony Festival highlights a different country, and this year India was chosen, represented in onstage dancing and celebrations.

The day ended with an explosion of colour, as volunteers handed out coloured powder in a re-creation of Holi, a Hindu festival celebrating colours, love and joy.

“As the colours blended without boundaries, so too does our community, united in the message that everyone belongs here,” Nidhi Kumari, chair of the Midwest Multicultural Association, said.

Local Indigenous artist Rashaan Briggs created a sand mural that depicted the community coming together, an accurate representation of the mood and joy surrounding the festival.

The event had been pushed back later in the day than previous years, a welcome change as more of the community turned up than ever, with more than 3000 people attending.

Along with staples like food and craft stalls, the festival stretched beyond Stow Gardens with mini golf, a silent disco, a bouncy castle, and many games and activities set up along the foreshore.

Children gathered around axe throwing and inflatable bumper balls, and interacted with farm animals in a petting zoo or went for a joyride on ride-on animal toys.

In total, 14 schools in the region contributed to The Great Bunting Competition, where students decorated bunting with their ideas on Harmony Week which was then used to decorate the festival.

A variety of workshops and activities are planned throughout the week to celebrate WA Harmony Week.