Sunday November 8th 2009 saw the 1st inaugural Buddhist Spring Festival held on the Esplanade, Fremantle. This to-be annual event is run under the auspices of the Buddhist Council of WA (BCWA) and organised by a committee drawn from many of the Perth Buddhist groups. In 2008, the majority of Buddhist organizations from Perth drew together and ran a fund raising food fair in aid of the Burma cyclone appeal and raised around $60 000. This financial success and the fun we all had prompted the idea to make it an annual happening.

The motivation was multi faceted; raising the profile of Buddhism in the community, cultivating good relationship within the Buddhist community, enhancing the recognition of the BCWA, raising funds for charity, BCWA and it’s member organizations, and making an opportunity as Buddhists to come together in peace and harmony in a lovely public place, to serve up food, information, entertainment and discussion.

The weather was fine and sunny, the lions danced, the singers sang, Stewart Jarvis - our internationally renowned teacher sat in a panel discussion, other sangha members helped in our food stall, Gossia and Shannon did face painting and were swarmed with kids, Wade provided a massage stall and our traveling teacher Matt Balara from Sydney ran a session in the meditation yurt.

A succesful day with lots of good impressions generated. Money raised went towards the BCWA, Telethon and the individual Buddhist centres which donated their time and resources.

Bigger things planned for the second inaugural Fremantle Buddhist Spring Fair in 2010.