Nepal Festival Darwin 2024 deliver massive event at Waterfront
Darwin Nepalese community brought their culture to the Darwin Waterfront in a festival filled with cuisine and music. Check out our gallery.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Darwin embraced the cuisine, colour and costumes of Nepal in a full on festival celebrated by thousands at the Darwin Waterfront.
The 2024 Nepal Festival is the largest for the growing Nepalese community in the Top End and with food, music and art there was plenty to enjoy right through to 10pm.
NT Nepalese Association president Anil Pokhrel said it was great to see so many members of not just his community, but the wider Darwin community come down for the event.
“It’s a beautiful day, so many people have turned out and there’s a lot of colour and costume from back home, I’m really proud,” he said.
“The second generation is growing up here and it’s great to see how we’re transferring our culture on to them.
“Australia is a very multicultural place, there’s many fabrics that make it and we are one so I want to thank everyone for coming down.”
The festival started with a parade where Darwinites were treated to the traditional dances of Nepal, while there was plenty of stands exploring the history and way of life in the Asian country.
All the photos
‘Made of love’: Nepal Festival to deliver cuisine, music, fireworks
The Nepalese community is gearing up for its biggest festival of the year, with cuisine, art, music and more set to spoil thousands of attendees.
At the Darwin Waterfront on Saturday, the annual 2024 Nepal Festival Darwin shapes up to be one of the biggest instalments in the festival’s five-year span, with thousands expected to explore dance, food and the rich culture that originates from the mountainous nation.
Chachit Shrestha who will oversee part of the event said the festival would be “full of love”.
“We are going to give bits of everything to everyone – it will be full of love,” he said.
“You’re going to Nepal in everything here.”
Bhawani Paudyal of the NT Nepalese Association said the event expected a whopping 10,000 attendees.
“There’ll be music – a lot Nepalese local artists in fact,” he said.
“There will be fireworks at the end of the night, and of course the main attraction will be the authentic Nepalese food such as dumplings and dal bhat.”
The Nepalese community is operating on a high this week, after its beloved Darwin Hearts Football Club won its Australia Cup playoff for the first time – another massive achievement by the Top End’s Nepalese diaspora.
Mr Paudyal said his community’s enthusiasm to broadcast Nepalese culture came with “high expectation”.
“(There’s greater) expectation from the community – the community has a high expectation because our event is recognised as a major event in the Territory,” he said.
“It means a lot of people have their eyes on us and hope we do well at celebrating and showcasing Nepalese culture.”
Nepal, home to iconic mountains and monuments, will also be represented at the festival, which Mr Paudyal said would impress young children in particular.
“We are going to have a lot of landmark figures here too – so Mount Everest, for example, Buddha as well and the Dharahara tower which is a symbol in Nepal.”
Even a run-through on how Nepalese marriages are sealed will be available to learn.
“If you would like to come as a couple and see how marriages go you can come and have a look.”
Mr Srestha said he looked forward to displaying the best Nepal had to offer.
“It’ll be great representing our culture,” he said.
“There’ll be good memories for everyone.”
The Nepal Festival Darwin will take place on Saturday, 1 June at the Darwin Waterfront, starting from 3pm and finishing at 10pm.
Tragedy narrowly avoided in Alice Springs death in custody march
The family of a young man killed in custody have made their voices heard loud and clear at a rally in Alice Springs, which saw dozens march through the streets – and it almost end in tragedy.
‘Sabotage’ claim thrown by Brotherhood after octopus health order
Government officials remain in a standoff with a local non-for-profit organisation following a shock decision to ban $50k worth of octopus deemed unsafe for consumption.