Bendigo, 20 April 2025- Today, on Easter Sunday, we visited Bendigo, a vibrant regional town in Victoria, where the much-anticipated Gala Parade just concluded. As part of the iconic Bendigo Easter Festival, this parade brought together people from diverse cultural backgrounds, proudly representing their countries through colourful costumes, music, and performance. Thousands of spectators lined the streets, eagerly waiting for the parade to begin.
The highlight of the parade was undoubtedly the Dragon show, featuring a mesmerising variety of dragons—small, medium, and large—dancing through Bendigo’s historic streets. The energy, excitement, and visual grandeur turned the streets into a joyous celebration of multiculturalism.
In 2025, the Bendigo Easter Festival will run from Friday, 18 April to Monday, 21 April. Over the long Easter weekend, Bendigo’s beautiful Rosalind Park and the surrounding precinct will transform into a family-friendly wonderland filled with vibrant entertainment and activities for all ages.
Festivalgoers can expect an array of events—from hunting 80,000 Easter eggs on Good Friday, to enjoying Carnival Central, browsing the Rotary Market, dancing to live music, and engaging children in interactive performances and activities.
A significant part of the festival is the Awakening of the Dragon, honouring Bendigo’s rich Chinese heritage. With lion teams, thunderous drums, and 100,000 crackers, this spectacle fills the Dai Gum San Precinct with colour and tradition.
On Easter Saturday evening, the city lights up for the Torchlight Procession, featuring illuminated floats and commemorating the service of Rod Fyffe OAM. The night concludes with a breathtaking fireworks display above Bendigo.
However, it is the Sherridon Homes Gala Parade on Easter Sunday that truly steals the show. The event features Dai Gum Loong, the world’s longest Imperial Dragon, stretching over 125 metres and weaving magnificently through the streets. First introduced in 2019, Dai Gum Loong continues a long tradition of Chinese participation in the festival, dating back to 1879.
The Bendigo Easter Festival is proudly supported by Fosterville Gold Mine, and each year it becomes more than a holiday—it becomes a treasured tradition for families. While the main festivities are held from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, smaller community-run events also take place on Easter Monday across the city.
A Legacy of Celebration
The first Bendigo Easter Fair was held in 1871 to raise funds for local charities and has since become one of Australia’s longest-running community festivals. Originally organised by the Bendigo Easter Fair Society, the event is now coordinated by the City of Greater Bendigo, with continued involvement from volunteers and community representatives.
The Chinese community’s large-scale participation began in 1879, leading to the purchase of the first parade dragon, Loong, in 1882. Loong paraded until 1970, succeeded by Sun Loong, and now by Dai Gum Loong, carrying forward the legacy of tradition, artistry, and cultural pride.
The Gala Parade and Torchlight Procession remain at the heart of the festival, showcasing Bendigo’s artistic talent and cultural richness. Today’s celebrations reaffirm why the Bendigo Easter Festival remains a cherished event, uniting community spirit with history, heritage, and vibrant festivity.
Prodip Roy, from Bendigo 20 April, 2025
