Darwin Festival
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| Country and Region | Australia — Northern Territory |
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| Type of Festival | Dance, Drama, Music |
| Location of Festival | Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Festival Contact Information | Darwin Festival |
| Festival Description | The Darwin Festival is a vibrant arts and cultural event held every year in Darwin’s dry season—a unique festival celebrating Darwin and its multicultural flavour and Asian connections. One of the fastest growing major Festivals in the Southern Hemisphere, the Darwin Festival is unlike any other Festival staged in any other Australian capital city. This is due to Darwin’s location, population size and demographics, and because of the unique Indigenous and multicultural population that adds so much culture and flavour to the region. The Darwin Festival hosts local and touring performances and events including outdoor concerts, workshops, theatre, dance, music, comedy and cabaret, film and visual arts. |
| Festival Dates | August 8 - 25, 2013 |
| Festival Links | http://www.darwinfestival.org.au/ |
Festival Story:
When Cyclone Tracy tore through Darwin on Christmas Eve in 1974, 25,000 people were evacuated and there was talk of abandoning the town site altogether. Despite the fears the town was gradually rebuilt and in 1979 a festival was created to celebrate the town’s revival. It demonstrated the optimism of those who returned to Australia’s northernmost town and encouraged tourists to visit the place once again. Initially it was called “The Bougainvillea Festival” after the large and bright blossoms that are widespread in the tropics. The festival has grown and improved since those early days, and now is a celebration of the thriving aboriginal culture and strongly present in the area Asian culture. The festival is held during the Dry Season securing good weather for the participants and the audience, and features an array of events—outdoor concerts, theatre workshops, dance, comedy, music, visual arts exhibits etc.
Practical Info:
Venues:
- Darwin Botanic Gardens
Geranium St, Stuart Park, Darwin
http://darwinfriends.zapto.org/
Northern Territory Airports
- Information
http://www.darwinairport.com.au/
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