Help celebrate Buddha's birthday with Buddhist ceremonies, Asian foods, colourful performances and a range of other multicultural activities.
The
15th Buddhist Birthday Festival will take place from 29 April until 1 May at the
South Bank Parklands. The Parklands will be the site for a three day festival that celebrates the birthday of
Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. The event is also dedicated to celebrating Australia's multi-cultural identity and provides a range of family appropriate entertainment.
Festival goers can participate in Buddhist rituals and ceremonies such as Ringing the Peace Bell and the Baby Blessing Ceremony. There will also be authentic Asian experiences like the lion and dragon dance and the Red Chinese Lanterns hung throughout the Parklands. Further highlights include free tai chi classes, meditation and more than thirty information sessions, held in English and Mandarin, for those who wish to learn more.
The Buddhist Birthday festival is organised by the
Buddha's Light International Association of Australia in conjunction with the
Chung Tian Temple and is the largest annual Buddhist festival in the world. As well as marking an important Buddhist date, organisers hope to promote culture, sustainability and health and well being.
