Moomba!

Moomba is a long weekend festival in March in Melbourne.  Moomba is an Aboriginal word that officially means "let's get together and have some fun," but other sources say it means something like "up your butt."  Not being an Aboriginal language expert, I'm going to go with the rated G version.  It's been happening since the mid-50's.

Moomba has a big parade, that we went to.  Photos are below.  This was the first year floats were again featured after I think decades of none.  There were lots of dance troupes, and representation from the many cultures of Melbourne residents.   Tens of thousands of people came to the parade - it was an impressive sight.

Hey!  This looks like Saba Carnival!

Lots of others in the parade represented the island cultures closer to Australia.

Aboriginal elders were the M/Cs of the event, and were acknowledged as the traditional owners of the land before the parade began.

Royal Australian Navy marching band.

Representing all the resident aliens, I guess.  It was a cool float - almost looked to be hovering.

Pretty sure this was the Indonesian dance troupe.

Indian community's float.

Minecraft float.

It's not a parade without the Imperial Storm Troopers and some Jawas bringing up the rear.

Biggest dragon I've ever seen.  I think there were forty people carrying it.  The photo doesn't do it justice.

And . . . um, people dressed like food.  There were lots of veggies and a couple liquorice allsorts who kept the parade flowing.

Besides the parade, they have a huge, overpriced carnival, and nowhere near enough toilets. 

The celebration revolves around the river.  On the river they have trick waterskiing and waterski jumping, as well as the Birdman Rally, which is a bunch of people with homemade wings attached to their bodies who run down a ramp and leap into the air to see who can propel themselves furthest down the river before landing in the water.  There's also a "penguin" category for the rally, in which people dressed like birds, but flightless ones, run down the ramp and leap into the water.

My kids liked the parade, but didn't like the crowds, the fact that there was nowhere to pee (or nowhere I would let them.  The boy looked longingly at the trees in the park), and that I wouldn't let them ride the $6 carousel.  We went home after a quick circuit around the carnival to determine that the rides were too scary and the food lines too long.  But we did have some fun, and that's the name of the game.  At least I hope it is.