A Festival Finale fitting for a vibrant Shinju Matsuri

Smoke billowed into the rose-pink evening light above Town Beach as hundreds waved and cheered saying goodbye to Sammy the Dragon, at Sunday’s Festival Finale of Shinju Matsuri. The closing ceremony had a poignant atmosphere as attendees appreciated how Shinju had united the community through a shared celebration of the Town’s multiculturalism, while there was also sadness that the festival is now another year away. The belting sounds of a collection of Broome musical acts had the crowd dancing, stomping, and grooving to the beat. Performers included the Jack Johnstone trio, Peter and David Pigram, and Desert Rose. Babies were swung in the air, dresses were twirled, and audience members enhanced the performances by providing their own percussion. Broome Shire President Chris Mitchell addressed the crowd, praising the volunteers for their crucial support in putting on the festival. “For the last 16 days, and we are really grateful for their dedication of our local volunteers,” President Mitchell said. “It’s a typical showcase of what volunteering can do in a community like ours.” He noted that Shinju Matsuri, founded in 1970, originated from the Town’s pearl diving industry which attracted Japanese, Malaysian, and Chinese people to Broome. “Over the last moments of the lottery West festival finale, we’re reminded of the deep roots Shinji Matsuri has in our town, a celebration of our history and the pearling industry that brought us all together,” he said. The scale of production and audiences generated at the diverse range of Shinju events this year, epitomised how a regional town can host a festival that can rival any international city. There’s no doubt that Broome locals and community groups will soon begin planning, sewing and creating for next year’s Shinju Matsuri.