At the Town Hall at 10.30am on Wednesday, a laughing crowd wobbled and wavered, trying to walk down a straight line while seeing the world through an alcoholic blur.
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Synthetic, of course. Vinnie's rehab centre Freeman House had brought their beer goggles.
They were one of 15 health and safety services at Armidale's first diversity fair, teaching the community how to 'Keep Safe'.
The event - the brainchild of the Armidale Community Development Team - aimed to reach the Ezidi refugees, the newest group to call the city home, with potentially life-saving information.
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It demonstrated, mayor Simon Murray thought, Armidale's commitment to ensuring our residents remain safe in their homes and in daily life.
"The whole community has come together to help with these learnings," Settlement Services International's Samantha Airs said.
"The services have really stepped up and done their best to engage the community on key safety messages, and share more about what their services offer."
Children painted; sculpted with the Benevolent Society's clay; or found their way through the Family Referral Services' mazes, while their parents and teachers talked to representatives or picked up brochures, fridge magnets, fire blankets, rulers, and wooden spoons.
"They're taking away some really important key messages to keep them and their family safe," Ms Airs said.
This was the first event Georgina Purcell, from the Samaritans' Homelessness Youth Assistance Program, had attended with so many refugees.
"It makes you appreciate how difficult it must be to break down language barriers," she said. Language, though, didn't stop her from inviting young Ezidis to put cards identifying their ideals - peace, acceptance, freedom, adventure - on a tree of hope.
Outside, parents learnt from Roads and Maritime Services how to install car seats safely, while their children clambered through Fire and Rescue NSW's truck, or investigated the SES' storm response vehicle.
They have met personnel on a human level, Ms Airs said; they now recognise who to call on, what their vehicle and uniforms look like, and who they are as people.
"It's good to put our name out there," SES volunteer Jock Campbell said. "We might even pick up some new members!"
His team have been involved in more than 170 missions this year, including flood and storm safety, road rescue, land searches, vertical rescue for lost bushwalkers, and supporting fire brigades at Tingha.
"We want the international community to be safe in their time in Armidale," Fire and Rescue NSW's Lindsay McIntyre said.
His colleague Warren Clark took to the stage to demonstrate how to avoid starting fires; how to survive if things go to blazes; and who to call when it heats up. His three enthusiastic young sidekicks crawled across the stage, miming how to stay low and safe from smoke.
Ms Airs thanked the services that had come together to support the Ezidis and the wider Armidale community. Some were volunteers, who gave up their time or work, because they could see the importance of the day.
"I really appreciate that," she said. "As soon as they heard about the initiative, everyone jumped on board, without hesitation."
Armidale welcomed its first Ezidi refugees under the Humanitarian Settlement Program last year, joining the city's 57 different nationalities and speakers of 80 languages and dialects.
"The Armidale community have warmly embraced our new residents, and they're proud to be in Armidale, making it their home," Cr Murray said.
"To have an Ezidi community of more than 300 members is a great credit to this city," Barnaby Joyce, federal member for New England, said.
"It's important that this city is noted for welcoming people who have had to deal with persecutions in other places."
The day, he thought, was important to give them access to tools that might help them through their early days here, and for himself to understand where he could help them further.