For the first time since 1994, Greek culture made a triumphant return to the Moomba Festival Parade, thanks to the efforts of the MANASIS School of Greek Dance and Culture.
The parade, held in Melbourne, Victoria, was a celebration of unity, heritage, and community, with people gathering under the Greek flag to showcase their rich traditions.
“We paraded for our cultural identity, for our biggest supporters, our entire community, and even our most vocal critics—no matter who you are, or where you’re from,” the group stated on social media.
The MANASIS contingent was led by the FROURA Hellenic Australian Honorary Guard, followed by rows of dancers dressed in traditional attire from various regions of Greece. The performance merged elements of a traditional Greek parade, complete with drummers and flag-bearers, with free-flowing ‘patinada’—a vibrant roving dance that brought energy and life to the streets of Melbourne.
Beyond the parade, MANASIS also hosted an hour-long presentation at the ‘Dance Hub’ by the Yarra River, where they demonstrated traditional dances, invited audiences to participate in a Zorba workshop, and ended with a spirited ‘glendi’—an open celebration of Greek hospitality and culture.
The significance of this return was not lost on participants, as nearly all those involved had not been born the last time Greek representation featured in the Moomba Parade.
“Today, we single-handedly broke a 31-year drought, bringing back Hellenic representation to one of our country’s biggest cultural festivals,” the group remarked proudly.
The Moomba Festival, known for its theme of inclusivity and celebration, has been a staple in Melbourne since 1955, attracting over 100,000 attendees annually, with the 2025 event expecting approximately 1.4 million visitors. The parade itself was televised on Channels 9 and 9Now, ensuring that those unable to attend in person could still witness the revival of Greek culture at Moomba.
MANASIS Director and Instructor, Dimosthenis Manasis, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “I stand in awe of everyone involved in today’s event through MANASIS and our FROURA, and I hope you’re all as proud of our students as I am.”
Recognising the responsibility of representing not just his school but the broader Greek Australian community, Dimosthenis also extended an open invitation to dancers, musicians, and students from Melbourne’s Greek cultural organisations and language schools to join future events, including this year’s Greek National Day parade.
