THE 2023 National Multicultural Festival is looking for volunteers to support the event, which after two pandemic-affected years, will return to Civic on February 17-19 and, for the first time, expand to Glebe Park.

“The festival is a great event on the Canberra calendar, fostering cross-cultural awareness, promoting understanding and respect, and celebrating our cultural and language diversity. Many of us have attended the festival over the years. Joining the festival as a volunteer – even for a brief time – gives a whole new perspective and experience,” says Multicultural Affairs Minister Tara Cheyne.

Each year, more than 500 volunteers help in roles such as information assistants, emcees and stage managers.

More than 260 stallholders have now been offered a place at the festival, including community food vendors, multicultural and information stalls, commercial operators and diplomatic missions.

Joining stallholders at the festival will be 96 local groups that have received $180,000 in funding grants to participate in the 25th festival.

The grants support Canberra’s multicultural groups to participate in the famous festival parade – helping with costs such as costumes and musical instruments – as well as host cultural performance showcases. New to this year were cultural activity grants to hold workshops at the festival.

Many new and emerging multicultural community groups have received these grants, which will for the first time have an Afghan Showcase, adding to favourites such as the Latin Carnivale and Pacific Islands Showcase.

Other cultural workshops under the new grants category include:

• how to wear an Indian sari or Korean hanbok
• kung fu and tai chi
• bush dancing
• Appalachian Mountain Clogging
• Tongan language greetings
• how to write your name using the Ancient Egyptian Coptic alphabet

Volunteer opportunities are at multiculturalfestival.com.au