The Lakes College community came together to mark Harmony Day with its largest Multicultural Expo to date.
Hosted by The Lakes College in Brisbane’s North, the event was a vibrant celebration of diversity, unity and cultural heritage. Students and families embarked on a journey around the world, exploring a dazzling array of food, games, art, stories and traditional performances.
The Lakes College (TLC) acknowledges the extraordinary contributions of TLC families who made this enriching and unforgettable event possible by generously sharing their time, talents and cultural traditions. Each year, the Expo continues to grow, bringing even more colour, flavour and excitement to the school community.
This year’s Expo showcased a record number of countries, with stalls offering unique and interactive experiences:
Cultural highlights from around the world
- China – Over 25 parent volunteers shared traditional art and calligraphy, along with fun trivia games that rewarded students with prizes.
- South Korea – Students learned to play traditional Korean games, including ddakji and gonggi, and enjoyed popular snacks like turtle chips.
- Russia – Activities included babushka doll colouring, children’s books and sweet treats such as sushki, bubliki and baranki.
- Fiji – The welcoming “Bula!” was just the beginning, as families sampled delicious homemade Fijian dishes.
- Kenya – This popular stall served food that sold out early due to high demand.
- Japan – Visitors enjoyed kingyo-sukui, the traditional Japanese goldfish scooping game, and received cute stickers as prizes.
- Vietnam – Run by students who prepared rice paper rolls, fried rice and a delicious Vietnamese lunch.
- Colombia – With a record turnout of parent volunteers, Colombia’s stall featured vibrant traditional dancing, mini dance lessons and an Encanto-inspired tea and snack area.
- Nepal – Making its first appearance at the Expo, Nepal’s stall delighted visitors with handmade samosas prepared by students.
- France – A student-led showcase offering croissants, baguettes and colouring-in activities.
- England – Visitors enjoyed a classic British afternoon tea and had fun playing cricket.
- Australia – First Nations families led a didgeridoo workshop, grass weaving and a collaborative hand-painted artwork. Alongside, other families who had collected dried native leaves that stall-goers used in creative artworks as they enjoyed some lamingtons and the Aussie classic Vegemite sandwiches.
- India – A perennial favourite, featuring henna art, traditional food, cultural chalk drawings and students in colourful saris.
- Scandinavia – Students learned to write their names in Viking runes and explore Norse traditions.
- Persia – This stall dazzled visitors with traditional dance demonstrations and stunning cultural attire.
- New Zealand – Students made their very own poi and explored the traditional Māori dance.
- South Africa – This student-run stall featured rugby, African animal quizzes and a homemade milk tart prepared by a student eager to carry on the tradition.
- Austria – Visitors enjoyed strudel and Leberkässemmel sandwiches at this student-led stall.
- Sri Lanka – Families sampled a wide range of Sri Lankan dishes and learned about the country’s art, crafts and architecture.
- Brazil – The green-and-yellow stall served Brigadeiro (Brazilian fudge balls).
- Italy – A student-run stall featuring galletti and other Italian sweets.
- Harmony Day Stall – Organised by FaVE students and teachers, visitors created Harmony Day crowns to wear in celebration.
- Face Painting – Thanks to the artistic skills of secondary students, Expo-goers proudly wore the flags of their chosen countries.
Performances and cultural demonstrations
The Expo was brought to life with vibrant performances, including traditional dances from Colombia, China and India, as well as a Bhangra Dance and Let’s Bollywood Dance Workshop. Guests were also treated to Tai Chi and cultural performances by QGMC, thrilling Chinese Lion Dancing by the International Wushu Academy and an impressive Taekwondo demonstration by PK Taekwondo.
A day to yemember
The Multicultural Expo demonstrated the beauty and strength that diversity brings to The Lakes College community. As the Expo continues to grow each year, it remains a powerful reminder of the importance of celebrating, sharing and learning from each other’s cultures.
