Festival parade

National multicultural festival NMF Parade

Get ready for the festival parade

Join us in creating a vibrant and unforgettable festival parade experience!

Joining the festival parade is a fantastic way to be part of the action. The parade winds its way through the festival on the Saturday afternoon to the delight of festival attendees.

Applications to participate at the 2025 National Multicultural Festival closed on Monday 12 August 2024. We are unable to accept any further applications as the team is busy assessing the completed applications. Please join the waitlist if you would like to be contacted if any timeslots/space becomes available for the 2025 festival. 

Join Waitlist Here

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Payment and grant funding

While parade participants won't receive payment for their performances, eligible people and community groups can apply for grant funding to support their participation. Explore the Grant Guidelines for detailed information.

Accessibility matters

We're dedicated to making the event as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you have any accessibility requirements, please let us know in your application. We'll do our best to provide reasonable adjustments.

Parade order

Participants won't be able to choose their order in the parade. Our festival team carefully considers various factors, including spacing for vehicles and loud or amplified groups, when arranging the parade order.

Insurance requirements

All parade participants must have Public Liability Insurance of $10 million or more that is valid during the festival dates. It's a good idea to also insure valuable equipment, costumes and props. If you have questions or need assistance with Public Liability Insurance, please reach out to the festival team. Grant funding may be available to help.

Please note that the festival will not accept liability for any theft, damage, safety or functionality of performer's props, costumes or equipment.

Participant selection

Applications are assessed based on cultural and entertainment relevance, the scale and complexity of performance and safety considerations.

Floats and vehicles

Yes, you can include motorised floats, hand-carried chariots and other vehicle types in the parade. When applying, provide dimensions for your float or vehicle. All participants must meet specified safety, approval and licensing requirements as directed by the festival team. Any associated costs are the responsibility of the parade participant.

Bringing animals

While animals may be considered for parade participation, their inclusion is at the discretion of the festival team. If approved, parade participants must meet specified safety, approval and licensing requirements. This may include having a vet on-site and implementing a waste management strategy. Associated costs are the responsibility of the parade participant.


 

Join us at Australias largest celebration of cultural diversity