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Thu 26th Sep 2024, 10:00 am - Sat 28th Sep 2024, 8:00 pm AEST (Opens in new tab)

Big Love Festival 2024

Price FREE – $2000 AUD + BF Get tickets

Event description

Awaken your heart and mind at the inaugural Big Love Festival 2024!

Join us in celebrating 50 years of Chenrezig Institute and Tibetan Buddhism in Australia. 

Held on the vast grounds of Chenrezig Institute, Sunshine Coast, the Big Love Festival brings together Buddhist teachers, art, live music, talks and practices for the mind and heart, culture, community, Dharma kids activities, culinary delights and more.


FEATURING:


𑁍 Talks and other practices with Geshe Phuntsok Tsultrim, Chenrezig Institute's resident Tibetan teacher

𑁍 Touring teachers Ganden Tripa, and Geshe Zopa leading Lama Tsong Khapa Bhumtsok in the Gompa

𑁍 Live music by Tenzin Choegyal, Sacred Earth, Chris Lane, Dubarray and more to be announced soon

𑁍 Tibetan Khaita Joyful Dance Workshop with Topgyal Gontse and Tsering Dolker

𑁍 Aunty Bridgette Chilli Davies and Jandamarra Cadd showing us ways we can all walk the path of peace and love, together to dissolve separation

𑁍 Chanting and sand mandala creations with the Sera Jey Monastery Monks

PLUS!

𑁍 Contemplative and enlightening Dharma talks and guided meditations and other practices with established Buddhist teachers

𑁍 Big Love Chai tent and other delicious food and beverages

𑁍 Workshops and activities for all ages to embody peace, loving-kindness and compassion, for all sentient beings and planet Earth

𑁍 Yoga with Chenrezig Institute's long-time Wellbeing Centre teachers 

𑁍 Dharma Kids activities daily, morning and afternoon

𑁍 Art exhibitions by world-renowned Thangka artist

𑁍 More wonderful Dharma teachers, incredible artists, facilitators and presenters feature daily - to be announced soon!

Super early bird Full Festival tickets have just been released - SAVE 30% by securing yours now (only available for the first 200 tickets purchased).
This event would not be possible without your ticket purchase - thank you! Chenrezig Institute is a not-for-profit charity. 

Festival days and times:
  • Thursday 26th September: 10am - 8pm
  • Friday 27th September: 10am -  8pm
  • Saturday 28th September: 10am - 8pm
During this festival, choose from a number of activities happenning across multiple zones each morning, afternoon and evening:


MORNINGS (10am - 12pm): 

  • Pujas in the Gompa
  • Yoga and live music on the Garden of Enlightenment lawn
  • Meditation in the Wellbeing Centre
  • Dharma Kids and Arts Studio activities

    AFTERNOONS (1pm - 5pm): 

    • Pujas in the Gompa
    • Talks and workshops on the Main Stage in the Garden of Enlightenment
    • Meditation in the Wellbeing Centre
    • Dharma Kids and Arts Studio activities

    EVENINGS (6pm - 8pm): 

    • Music concerts in the Garden of Enlightenment
    • Featuring an incredible lantern parade from the Gompa to the Garden of Enlightenment on Saturday 28th September!
    About Chenrezig Institute

    In September 1974, the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Australia and one of the oldest in the west was established here in Eudlo by two visionary Tibetan lamas, Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and named Chenrezig Institute for Wisdom Culture. Here we are now in 2024, rejoicing in 50 years of offering a huge range of teachings, retreats, and programs, through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed for the benefit of others!

    Chenrezig Institute was also one of the very first centres of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international organisation which now nurtures over 130 centres across 31 countries – all thanks to the vision of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche's fifty years ago.

    "Each centre which teaches how to develop compassion step-by-step makes a contribution to world peace every day."
    —Lama Zopa Rinpoche

    Chenrezig Institute is a Buddhist centre in the Tibetan Gelug tradition, established for meditation, study, retreat and spiritual growth. It is home to a Tibetan teacher, resident nuns and monks, and a community of lay students, volunteers, and guests. Many great Buddhist masters including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Thubten Yeshe, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche and many other highly respected Rinpoche's, Geshe's and Tibetan and western sangha, have been hosted here while teaching their profound wisdom, insights and practices on the Buddhist path.

    Perched on the edge of the Blackall Range in the Sunshine Coast hinterland inQueensland, Australia, Chenrezig Institute is tucked away in a stunning rainforest setting, seven kilometres beyond the township of Eudlo. As well as our beautiful Gompa (meditation hall) - the very heart of our centre - we also offer a vegetarian cafe, an extensive library, art studio, the Garden of Enlightenment memorial gardens, and extensive rainforest grounds, all of which have been created and cared for by very many generous and kind volunteers and staff over the past 50 years.

    We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land upon which we work and live, the Gubbi Gubbi/Kubbi Kubbi Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge their living culture and ongoing connection with and care-taking of these lands and waters. We acknowledge that the land on which we stand always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

    Within the space of working to benefit all sentient beings, Chenrezig Institute promotes and encourages acceptance and inclusion. All are welcome to attend the centre and are not excluded because of race, creed, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other attribute.

    Festival Parking

    Free car parking for festival go-ers will be made available close to Eudlo township, with shuttle buses running regularly between the car park and Chenrezig Institute. No onsite parking will be available to the public at Chenrezig Institute.

    Accommodation

    No onsite accommodation will be available at the centre since it will be needed for visiting Sangha. It's recommended you book local accommodation as soon as you know you are coming to the festival (AirBnB is a good place to start). The festival occurs during the September school holidays, therefore it's recommended you book your tickets and any accommodation required early.

    Have a question?

    Send us an email: biglovefestival@chenrezig.com.au 

    Single day and evening-only tickets will be made available in the months leading up to the festival, however grabbing a Full Festival ticket NOW is by far the most economical and flexible way to go! 

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    Refund policy

    Refund requests made more than 45 days prior to the festival start date: 100% refund. Refund requests made between 30-45 days prior to the festival start date: 50% refund. Refund requests made less than 15 days prior to the festival start date: No refund will be provided. All refund requests must be submitted in writing to biglovefestival@chenrezig.com.au In the unlikely event that the festival is cancelled for reasons beyond our control e.g. Government mandates, more than two weeks out from the festival, 20% of your ticket fee will be non-refundable, 80% refundable. In the unlikely event that the festival is cancelled for reasons beyond our control with less than two weeks prior to the festival, we will provide you with a credit to one of our future events. In the unlikely event the festival is cancelled by the organisers for reasons within our control, we will fully refund your ticket. The organisers are not liable for any additional expenses incurred by attendees, such as travel or accommodation costs. Please only purchase your ticket if you agree to these refund terms.