The 25th anniversary National Multicultural Festival, returning to Canberra’s CBD and Glebe Park from 17 to 19 February 2023, will have something for everyone, according to ACT Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Tara Cheyne.
“Canberrans have told us they want the Multicultural Festival they know and love – but with more space to move around, more shade, and more entertainment,” Ms Cheyne said. “This is exactly what we will deliver.
“Over the three days of the festival, no matter which day or time you choose to attend, you’ll be able to see big name entertainers together with a range of sensational featured artists and community performers spread out over eight stages in the CBD and Glebe Park. The diverse line-up of artists is guaranteed to deliver an unforgettable festival for everyone.”
Friday night: Mitch Tambo and Lisa Hunt
Internationally renowned artists Mitch Tambo and Lisa Hunt will open the festival with a bang on the Friday night. This will be a show to remember, Ms Cheyne said; they will be joined by more exciting acts, to be announced in January.
Mitch Tambo is one of Australia’s most unique and electrifying First Nations entertainers. The Sony Music Recording Artist has become an international sensation, hailed as “the new voice of our generation”. His debut album, Guurrama-Li, raced up the music charts in Australia, the UK, US, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand.
In February 2020, Tambo performed his single, Together, as part of Eurovision Australia Decides, and closed the historic Fire Fight concert singing “You’re the Voice” with John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, and Queen’s Brian May in a performance for the ages. He released “LOVE”, an upbeat anthem, sung in Tambo’s Gamilaraay language, and his electro-pop Gamilaraay language version of Vanessa Amarosi’s “Absolutely Everybody”.
“I am pumped to be performing at the National Multicultural Festival in my wife’s hometown of Canberra,” Tambo said. “I have heard so much about the festival, and the diverse musicians and artists that travel from all over Australia and the world to perform at the festival. I am excited to participate in such an awesome exchange of culture, music, and dance.”
Lisa Hunt has sold more than a million records worldwide. She will bring her knock-out African American gospel, Motown, big funk, and soul energy to the festival.
Fans of Lisa Hunt will flock for a spot up the front to witness her extraordinary vocal range. Singing with a style made famous by the past millennium’s soul sisters, the likes of Aretha Franklin, set yourself up for a big night dancing to the passionate and reverberating sound of Lisa Hunt and her band Forever Soul.
Saturday: Parvyn
Punjabi-Australian singer Parvyn, best known for her work in the band The Bombay Royale, will take to the stage on Saturday presenting her unique combination of classical Indian music, rhythmic vocals, psychedelia, and electronica. Find out more about the other great artists performing on Saturday when the full program is released in January.
Parvyn has performed globally since childhood with her father, Dya Singh. Her current solo project represents a new step in her career and is informed by soul and jazz, her background in Sikh devotional music, and her training in classical Indian music and dance.
Her début solo record, Sa, released in September 2021, was heralded as a “multigenre, multicultural masterpiece” (The Australian), and nominated for the ARIA ‘Best World Music’ album, the prestigious Australian Music Prize, and the Best Independent Soul/RnB album for the Aus Indies. With influences from Björk to Anoushka Shankar, Sa is immersed in a reflective world of different cultures and perspectives.
“A big part of my motivation is representing the minority Sikh/South Asian culture that I come from, and encouraging youth from the community to identify and connect with their culture proudly,” Parvyn said.
“The National Multicultural Festival is a great opportunity for me to showcase my new work to a wider audience but also to celebrate and share our differences, learn from each other, and make for a stronger combined society. My music is an authentic expression of my story growing up in the contemporary Australian setting with a strong ancestral Punjabi culture. The music naturally developed to sound the way it does with both the electronic and traditional elements because that is who I am.”
Saturday: Multicultural Comedy Gala
Join a star-studded line-up of the country’s best and emerging comedic talent as they touch on cultural identity in a concoction of comedy that pokes fun at what makes us all different, but so much the same.
For the first time since 2017, the Multicultural Comedy Gala will return to Canberra Theatre on the Saturday. Hosted by John Safran, it will feature a superb line-up of some of Australia’s best stand-up comedians, including Steph Tisdell, Khaled Khalafalla, and He Huang, sharing stories from around the world. More comedians are set to join the line-up over the coming months.
Tickets are now on sale at www.comedygala.net.au.
Steph Tisdell is a proud Ydinji woman, Aboriginal rights advocate, and major up-and-comer in the Australian comedy scene. Since her 2014 debut, Steph has been collecting awards and accolades wherever she goes and building an impressive TV, radio, and print credit list. In 2018, Steph debuted her first solo show, Identity Steft, won the weekly award for best emerging talent at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, and was nominated for the illustrious Best Newcomer Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in the same year.
Khaled Khalafalla has performed his powerhouse stand-up comedy around the world – to royalty in the Middle East, Australian troops in Afghanistan, and to the invitation-only New York Comedy Festival. He has blazed a trail across big and small screens with scene-stealing roles in Upper Middle Bogan (ABC), Ali’s Wedding (Netflix), and That’s Not My Dog (Stan). He was twice featured in the prestigious Just For Laughs showcase at Sydney Opera House. Do not miss Australia’s fastest rising star in peak funny form.
He Huang is a Sydney-based comedian, originally from a small town in southwest China. She competed in MICF’s RAW Comedy competition for emerging comedy talent, as a national finalist in the national broadcast on SBS in 2021. Earlier this year, He’s controversial three-and-a-half-minute spot on Australia’s Got Talent (Seven) went viral with over 10 million views, earning her international respect and notice.
Sunday: Justine Clarke
In an exciting new addition to the festival, a range of family entertainment and activities will be presented on Sunday. Justine Clarke, one of Australia’s most popular and versatile entertainers, will delight both kids and adults.
Justine is a multi-ARIA Award winning children’s music artist, author, and star of stage and screen. As one of Play School’s most-loved presenters, Justine will delight the young and not so young festival goers when she takes to the stage with her band. She’ll also be joined by some of Canberra’s young dancers for a special performance.
“It’s such a pleasure to be part of the 25th anniversary National Multicultural Festival celebrations,” Justine said. “I’m really excited to be leading the family entertainment program for the very first time at the festival. I hope everyone is ready to sing, dance, and have some fun because we have a really great show planned for the kids, and the kids at heart.”
Families can also participate in free activities like circus workshops, bilingual story time, cultural art activities – not to mention the smorgasbord of delicious food on offer.
Civic Library and Canberra Museum and Gallery will also provide beautifully crafted indoor family sanctuary programs.
“We know how excited the community is to have the festival back for the first time since 2020, and I am really looking forward to sharing more about the other great acts, events, and activities in store for the 2023 festival early in the New Year,” Ms Cheyne said.
For full performer biographies, visit the National Multicultural Festival website.
Learn more about the artists appearing at the 25th anniversary festival on the dedicated Spotify playlist. More artists will be added to the playlist in the lead up to the festival.
