With the start of a New Year and decade, there’s no better time to start planning your trip to the Northern Territory. Whether it’s racing along Darwin’s Mindil Beach in a homemade dinghy or celebrating Mardi Gras in the Outback with FABalice, this year brings a suite of unforgettable and truly unique events to the NT.
EVENTS
TOP END
BRUCE MUNRO: TROPICAL LIGHT
Darwin, until 30 April 2020
The exhibition is Bruce Munro’s first city-wide exhibition in the world with the collection reflecting the artist’s personal history of visiting Australia and the Northern Territory. The exhibition is free to view and is connected by a self-guided path to wander along.
BOMBING OF DARWIN COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE
Darwin, 19 February 2020
On the 19th of February 1942, Darwin was changed forever when 188 Japanese warplanes mounted the single largest foreign attack on Australian soil. On this day each year, the Bombing of Darwin is commemorated with a service to remember the lives lost, the veterans involved and the civilians that were impacted during World War II
TIWI ISLANDS GRAND FINAL & ART SALE
Tiwi Islands, 15 March 2020
In what is one of the Northern Territory’s most unique annual events, where AFL football and Aboriginal art combine, thousands are expected to make the journey to Bathurst Island to witness and partake in artwork auctions before kicking back to watch the community’s beloved footy grand final.
ANZAC DAY DAWN SERVICE AND PARADE
Darwin, 25 April 2020
Hear the bugle sound in the dawn light and pay respect to serving Defence Personnel past and present at Darwin’s annual ANZAC Day Dawn Service – a big event on the Top End’s social calendar. After the service, join the crowd of thousands to line the street and see Service Personnel and Veterans march or visit one of the region’s military museums or historical sites.
TASTE OF KAKADU
Kakadu, 22-31 May 2020
A cultural food festival 65,000 years in the making, Kakadu National Park will host a 10-day program of locally inspired food exploration and events. Indulge all your senses with pop-up dining experiences, traditional ground oven feasts, handcrafted menus from celebrity chefs, forage walks with traditional owners, canape cruises, and ancestral stories and cultural workshops.
BASSINTHEGRASS
Darwin, 23 May 2020
The Northern Territory’s biggest and longest running music festival, BASSINTHEGRASS tickets are now on sale. For those looking to extend the music festival trail beyond Falls and Splendour in the Grass, beachside festival BASSINTHEGRASS offers a world-class line up on Darwin’s Mindil Beach. Over 10,000 people attended the 2019 sold out event, and acts that have performed in previous years include RÜFÜS du Sol, PNAU, Peking Duk, Birds of Tokyo, Amy Shark, Nick Murphy and Hilltop Hoods.
MATARANKA NEVER NEVER FESTIVAL
Katherine, May 2020
Paying tribute to Jeannie Gunn’s famed novel We of the Never Never, Mataranka will come alive with the 10-day Never Never Festival. The town will unite to showcase the magic of the Never Never with music, culture, food, dance, art and sport on show over two weekends.
BARUNGA FESTIVAL
Katherine, 5-7 June 2020
Located 70kms south-east of Katherine, the Barunga Festival celebrates a long and proud tradition of storytelling and the culture of its Aboriginal people. This annual festival explores music, sport, and traditional arts and cultural activities from remote Northern Territory communities, on the land of the traditional Barunga owners.
BETEASY DARWIN TRIPLE CROWN SUPERCARS
Darwin, 17-19 July 2020
A huge weekend of racing and entertainment, at this years Supercars you can expect a wide range of on and off track entertainment while hearing the roar of the vehicles around the Hidden Valley raceway.
DARWIN LIONS BEER CAN REGATTA
Darwin, 19 July 2020
Established in 1974, the iconic annual Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta is a Top End family favourite. With boats constructed of everything from beer cans to plastic bottles and milk cartons, teams race along Mindil Beach into the water and hope their DIY dinghies make it to the finish line.
GARMA FESTIVAL
Arnhem Land, 31 July – 3 August 2020
Australia’s leading indigenous event, Garma Festival is the largest and most vibrant annual celebration of Yolngu culture. Bringing together business leaders, international political leaders, academics, journalists and travellers to learn about the Aboriginal people of north-east Arnhem Land, Garma incorporates visual art, ancient storytelling, dance, music and forums.
THE TELSTRA NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLAND ART AWARDS (NATSIAAs)
Darwin, 8 August 2020 – 31 January 2021
Australia’s longest running and most prestigious indigenous art awards, the annual NATSIAAs showcase a range of work from emerging and established indigenous artists from across the country. Hosted at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), the NATSIAAs are a key event in Australia’s cultural calendar.
DARWIN FESTIVAL
Darwin, 6-23 August 2020
Every August, the streets of Australia’s only tropical capital city are transformed into a vibrant celebration of art, music, theatre and dance. Embracing the quintessential laidback spirit and energy of Darwin over 18 balmy nights, explore a program rich with local, national and international talent.
DARWIN ABORIGINAL ART FAIR
Darwin, 7-9 August 2020
A rich exchange of art, culture, and ideas with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia, the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair offers travellers the unique experience to purchase authentic indigenous art directly from over 70 indigenous-owned community arts centres. Travellers can also immerse themselves in traditional dance, workshops, film, fashion and music.
NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS (NIMAs)
Darwin, 8 August 2020
Held annually under the stars at Darwin’s historic Amphitheatre, the NIMAs are recognised as one of Australia’s most prominent indigenous music award events. A special celebration of indigenous music, this family-friendly event showcases Australia’s rich musical talent from all corners of the country.
KATHERINE BIRD FESTIVAL
Katherine, 10-13 September 2020
Katherine Bird Festival will return in 2020 and promises even more for wildlife lovers to enjoy. Set in the heart of Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, this year’s program will immerse visitors in natural landscapes teeming with unique birdlife, with bird-watching cruises, expert-led tours and family activities.
KAKADU BIRD WEEK
Kakadu, 26 September – 3 October 2020
Kakadu Bird Week offers nature enthusiasts community birdwatching walks, tours and presentations with researchers and the local Aboriginal people. With more than a third of Australia’s bird species calling Kakadu home, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed national park is a bird lover’s paradise.
DARWIN STREET ART FESTIVAL
Darwin, September 2020
Showcasing the city’s unusual take on contemporary street art, Darwin Street Art Festival will take over the city with vibrant artworks curated by the likes of street artists Vexx and Luna Tunes. Can’t make it to the festival? Grab your camera and put on your comfy shoes to explore the permanent street art murals all around the Darwin CBD.
RED CENTRE
FABALICE FESTIVAL
Alice Springs, 6-8 March 2020
Inspired by the original cult movie The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, FABalice returns for a second year in March. The three-day event, officially extending Mardi Gras celebrations to Central Australia, is filled with comedy, cabaret and social activities paying homage to the film and stage musical.
PARRTJIMA – A FESTIVAL IN LIGHT
Alice Springs, 3-12 April 2020
The annual Parrtjima – A Festival in Light returns to Alice Springs in 2020. Approaching its fifth year, the free 10-night festival is the only Aboriginal light festival of its kind in the world and proudly brings to life the stories of Australia’s oldest living culture through technology, music, storytelling and art. Visitors will be able to gain new perspectives and experience the many layers of Aboriginal culture as they peruse the largest natural outdoor gallery in Australia, with natural canvases including two kilometres of Central Australia’s incredible MacDonnell Ranges.
OUTBACK CYCLING EASTER
Alice Springs, 10-13 April 2020
Explore Alice on two wheels as part of the Outback Cycling Easter in the Alice, a three-day stage mountain bike race designed to let you take in all the wonders of the Red Centre. Ride under a blanket of deep blue sky while taking in the magnificent views of the MacDonnell Ranges. The route covers 130 kilometres of awe-inspiring landscapes with a shorter 70 kilometre route available for those keen on a gentler ride.
WIDE OPEN SPACE FESTIVAL
Alice Springs, 1-3 May 2020
Wide Open Space Festival returns in 2020 to the ancient East MacDonnell Ranges for three days of music, art and desert culture. The festival boasts live bands, electronic producers, hip hop crews, superstar DJs and acoustic acts. Indulge in a performance program of burlesque, circus, roving performances, spoken word, experimental and fun local and interstate acts, and immerse in body percussion, yoga and dance.
ULURU CAMEL CUP
Uluru, 29-30 May 2020
All class and no grass – it’s like the Melbourne Cup, with some extra humps thrown in. Enjoy all the racing action and fashion you’d expect from a trackside event, against a stunning desert backdrop in the Red Centre. Now in its ninth year, this colourful two-day camel conglomeration kicks off with an auction to bid on a favourite camel at the lively Camel Cup Calcutta, followed by race day action and the Frock Up & Rock Up Gala Ball.
TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE
Alice Springs, 5-8 June 2020
This multi-terrain, two-day race attracts more than 600 competitors racing over a 460-kilometre course through desert country. From Alice Springs to the Finke River in the tiny Aboriginal Aputula Community, Tatts Finke Desert Race is considered one of the most difficult off-road races as competitors vie for the King of the Desert Trophy.
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