It’s not just music being created at the National Folk Festival (NFF) in Canberra, but a mural was also put together — and anyone could join in.

Attendees at the festival were encouraged to “bring your creative flair along to contribute to the 2025 Festival mural”.

Julia Sterman’s children Greta, 6, and Innes Beechey, 2, helped contribute to the mural.

“I’m loving the children’s area; they’re just wanting to be in there,” Ms Sterman said.

“I’m trying to listen to some music and they ran back together, and were like ‘can we just be in the children’s room the whole time’.

“So, it’s nice to be in the atmosphere and hear the music, even if I can’t go to the things that I would pre-children.”

The family moved to Canberra in February 2025 after living in Scotland.

“We just moved back to Australia and I had taken the children to Canberra Shanty (Club) singing, so I wanted to bring them to folk stuff,” she said.

Ms Sterman volunteered at the NFF in 2016.

Another mother at the festival with her child was Paige Peterson from Geelong, Victoria.

Her daughter, Sophie, performed at the NFF as part of The MarimbaTaters — senior students from Tate Street Primary School in East Geelong that play the marimba. The band is led by teacher Dani Rocca and accompanied by Adam Burke.

The marimba is a xylophone-type instrument that originated in Africa.

“It’s amazing. It’s a really good experience for the young children to be exposed to all this stuff — and to be part of it, not just exposed to it, to actually perform,” Ms Peterson said.

“They perform at school but they also do the Queenscliff Music Festival and the Port Fairy Folk Festival, but this is the first time they’ve gone interstate, so it’s a pretty big deal.”

She said the families all transported their children to Canberra for the festival.

“So, it’s a really big undertaking from every parent. They should really be applauded doing that over a long weekend, having the ability to take their children a long way,” Ms Peterson said.

“But ultimately it comes down to Ms Rocca who is an amazing music teacher.”

NFF kicked off on Good Friday eve at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC). It runs from 17-21 April.

Those who made the trek to EPIC on Thursday night, 17 April, were treated to what was to come for the rest of the festival with an opening concert and bands taking to other stages.

The Welcome to Country duties went to Ngunnawal/Kamilaroi man and custodian, Richie Allan. A smoking ceremony was also conducted.

The performances on the first night included dances by the Australian Morris Ring showcasing the “traditional art form originating in England and dating back unbroken to at least the Middle Ages”, Chris Stout and Catriona McKay playing Scottish music and poetry recited by Fred Smith.

I returned to the festival on Good Friday to take in more of the sights and sounds.

Many families of all ages gathered with plenty for everyone to do from taking part in workshops, contributing to the mural, chilling to music and trying foods from around the world.