Warrnambool City Council events and promotions co-ordinator Rebecca Elmes said fine weather helped bring out a big crowd to celebrate the cultural diversity in the Warrnambool district and to share cultural traditions.

Dance and drumming activities were popular as were the big variety of food stalls, Ms Elmes said.Food stalls ranged from Sudanese to Sri Lankan, Indian, Dutch, Middle Eastern and a traditional Aussie barbecue provided by the Warrnambool Apex Club.

The festival started with a traditional welcome and dance by the local Gunditjmara-Karween people.

A dance and drumming performance by the Asanti Dance Theatre of Melbourne was a big hit and about 60 children took part in a drumming workshop with the group.

Children also enjoyed taking part in a performance by a Sri Lankan community group. Local musician John Hudson, accompanied by Amina Hughes, from Western Australia, enchanted the crowd with their songs.

Tonchi McIntosh, of Bourke in NSW, who has an Aboriginal and Mexican lineage, was among the others who entertained the crowd, performing a fusion of acoustic folk/rock and electric guitar with touches of reggae and country.

Members of Melissa's Dance Group from Warrnambool performed an English maypole dance as well as a tarantella - an Italian folk dance. The festival also included numerous children's activities including decorating Russian traditional babushka dolls.