Our kind of celebration
The world’s oldest culture meets modern technology in an explosion of light and colour.
IT’S TRUE THAT THERE’S nowhere else like the NT. It’s a vast land of contrasting landscapes wide, red and barren lush, leafy and green ancient, rocky and imposing. Throw in a host of eclectic towns, a cosmopolitan city, sacred lands, and unique characters, and you have an extraordinary melting pot of culture and traditions. So it’s no wonder that when it comes to celebrations, the NT’s calendar of events is far from ordinary. Here, we’ve picked a handful of events that you’re unlikely to experience anywhere else DARWIN LIONS BEER CAN REGATTA DARWIN RUNS ANNUALLY IN WINTER Building tinnies out of tinnies how Aussie is that Originally an attempt to clean up the rubbish around Darwin, the annual Beer Can Regatta is now a hugely popular event where contestants build boats out of beer cans, plastic bottles and milk cartons to race (or simply try to stay afloat) at Mindil Beach. With 10 ‘Can-mandments’ including ‘thou shalt float by cans alone’ and ‘thou shalt not drown’, it’s a comical spectacle of weird and wonderful boats battling the elements. The event also includes sandcastle competitions, kayaking races, thong-throwing comps, tug-o-war and other family-friendly entertainment. DARWIN FESTIVAL DARWIN 9–26 AUGUST 2018 Born out of the destruction and devastation of Cyclone Tracy in 1974, the original purpose of the Darwin Festival was to celebrate the revival and resilience of the tropical city. The festival now focuses on community arts and culture, celebrating music, theatre, visual art, dance, cabaret and food. Held over 18 days in August, this year’s key event includes performances by comedians Ross Noble and Urzila Carlson: Limbo, a fusion of cabaret, circus and acrobatics and Buried Country, a showcase of moving Aboriginal music PARRTJIMA – A FESTIVAL IN LIGHT ALICE SPRINGS, 28 SEPTEMBER – 7 OCTOBER 2018 Just when you thought the MacDonnell Ranges couldn’t get any more breathtaking, in comes Parrtjima. The purpose of this daling festival is to encourage all to gain a deeper respect for Arrernte country through Aboriginal art and culture (the festival’s name means to shine light on and to understand a subject in the Arrernte group of languages). The large-scale outdoor light exhibition is a fusion of ancient art traditions and modern technology. With the illumination of the MacDonnell Ranges as a backdrop, Alice Springs Desert Park becomes an outdoor gallery whereby artists across the central desert region can showcase works of all mediums through light installations. There is also an eclectic programme of music, workshops and storytelling taking place throughout the festival DESERT FESTIVAL ALICE SPRINGS, SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2018 Celebrating the very essence of the Red Centre its rich landscape and dense cultural history the Alice Spring’s Desert Festival is the brainchild of Red Hot Arts Central Australia. Spotlighting the talents of local artists in visual arts, music, film and more, the festival features live art, workshops and performances Alice-wide. DESERT SONG FESTIVAL ALICE SPRINGS, SEPTEMBER 7–16 SEPTEMBER 2018 The ancient Aboriginal songlines run deep through the heart of the Red Centre, making Alice Springs the ideal destination in which to stage the Desert Song Festival. With the majestic landscape of Alice Springs as its venue, performances are held at unique sights including Ormiston Gorge, Honeymoon Gap and Stuart Town Gaol.