A CROWD of more than 30,000 people is expected to attend the 23rd annual Sikh Games National Multicultural Festival at Tingalpa over the Easter weekend.
The festival, hosted this year by the Punjabi Cultural Association, is an important event for the southside Sikh community.
The event is celebrated in a different Australian city each year and seeks to promote harmony and increased understanding among the country’s diverse cultural communities.
State Labor Member for Chatsworth, Steve Kilburn said there were about 2,600 people of Sikh faith living in Queensland.
Sikhism boasts some 25 million followers around the world, with more than 19 million devotees in India alone.
"The festival is a wonderful opportunity for the Sikh community to celebrate and share their cultural and social heritage with other cultures," he said.
"The opening ceremony will feature Aboriginal dance and performances by Scottish, Chinese, Eastern Europeans, and Brazilians, as well as performances representative of the different Indian sub-continent cultures."
Also on offer will be a range of delicious international cuisine as well as music, arts, and sports.
Mr. Kilburn said the State Government had contributed $2000 to help organisers stage the event in Brisbane.
The games start on Friday at the Moreton Bay Sports Club at 175, Boundary St, Tingalpa and run until Sunday.