(Clearwisdom.net) On August 7, 2004, practitioners from Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast participated in the annual Sugar Festival in Nambour, Queensland. This is one of the major parades in the Sunshine Coast area. This year there were nearly 50 floats and parade entrants along with hundreds of spectators.

Our grand float was preceded by a stunning banner with the golden words - Falun Dafa - glittering in the sunshine. Next came our Waist Drum Troupe, including both Western and Chinese practitioners playing traditional Chinese waist drums. The front and sides of our float were beautifully decorated with colorful banners reading "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance". On our float, four practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong standing exercises, as well as two young girl practitioners demonstrating the sitting meditation.

Falun Gong exercise demonstration on an open stage in the park

Exercise demonstration on the float

Falun Dafa information stall in the park

Falun Gong contingent in the parade

Falun Gong contingent in the parade

"Best Float" Award

Western practitioners sing "Call to Heart"

Our eye-catching float was followed by young practitioners presenting beautiful, traditional Chinese dancing under a rainbow arch of balloons. Behind a grand banner which read 'Falun Dafa Around the World,' practitioners carried flags from different countries and many wore a variety of national costumes from around the world, representing countries where Falun Dafa is now practiced. Little practitioners with happy faces proudly walked in the parade and some handed out flyers. Onlookers were visibly touched by our presentation and after the parade, the organizers invited local practitioners up to the Main Stage where the local State MP Mr. Peter Wellington presented us with a trophy for 'Best Float.'

The parade concluded in a local park, where we had set up an information stall together with a presentation of Falun Gong exercises for the gathering crowd. People were also invited to fold a lotus flower at our 'Petals of Peace' table and display. At the same time, across the park on the large ground stage, the practitioners displayed the Falun Gong exercises, as well as several beautiful Chinese dances. Whilst this display was going on, the singing ensemble, 'One World', consisting of five Western practitioners, was invited to the Main Stage to sing. The first moving song, "Call to Heart," reflects the hope from the many good-hearted people who believe in 'Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance' and those who are facing the ongoing persecution under Jiang Zemin's regime in China. The second song, "Historical Times", is a song about this unique period of time that we are now in and that this precious period of time is something to be celebrated. Three young practitioners danced gracefully, complementing the theme of the song.

Many people requested Falun Dafa introductory flyers as they watched the exercise demonstrations and other Falun Dafa activities and asked for more details from practitioners.