Festival of the Chariots is returning to St Kilda Festival Sunday (February 18) in 2024.

Our Chariot Parade start and Veg/Vegan Hare Krishna Food Festival are returning to our central location at 4 Jacka Boulevard (near the Captain Cook Memorial).

Chariot Parade from 1pm near the pedestrian bridge.

Veg / Vegan Hare Krishna Food Festival Sunday, February 18, 2024, 11 am – 9 pm: Catani Gardens near the Captain Cook Memorial.

  • Drama & Dance
  • Delicious Vegan/Vegetarian Food
  • Body Art
  • Face Painting

 

What’s On (2024)

Since 2011, the Festival of the Chariots has been part of St Kilda Festival Sunday, on the first Sunday of February each year.

We’ve been able to ramp up the party with hundreds of other festivalgoers, pulling an authentic painted wooden chariot from Catani Gardens along Jacka Boulevard to Luna Park and back. We sang and danced as we went!

The Chariot Parade (Ratha Yatra) originated in ancient times in Jagannatha Puri in Odisha (formerly Orissa, India), where deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra are drawn – with love and devotion – into the hearts of all present.

At the same time, we host a family-friendly Vegetarian / Vegan Hare Krishna Food Festival in Catani Gardens. Enjoy delicious vegetarian and vegan food with a taste of India, freshly prepared on-site for your pleasure.

Normally we give away tonnes of free watermelon to all-comers, so if you have a passion for fresh fruit, head for our tent village.

The Food Festival includes a free stage program of song, dance, and drama for all ages.

 

 

Round out your Food Festival experience by checking out our fun for kids: face painting, body art, Indian shop, bookshop, and meditation tents.

Enjoy a fantastic day out with your family and friends!