Under twinkling lights and ancient landscapes our diary is packed with festivals and events celebrating the cultural and exotic lifestyle of the Northern Territory.
Signature art events
From thrill-seeking to sporting and outdoor events and everything in between, if you’re looking for a reason to head to the Top End or Red Centre, the Northern Territory has you covered, especially with these signature events.
Darwin festival
Showcasing tropical Darwin lifestyle at its best, the Darwin Festival is an 18 day celebration of music, theatre, dance, cabaret, art and more. A fabulous festival wonderland awaits you in the very peak of the Dry Season.
Featuring seven weeks of fun with over twenty live acts, including kid’s activities, workshops and two mini-film festivals, the Alice Desert Festival celebrates the dynamic exchange between cultures in the heart of Alice Springs.
Then there's the Barunga Festival. A celebration of the very best of remote Australian Indigenous community life, in the Katherine region. Barunga is where the traditional meets contemporary in an iconic event with an outstanding line-up of music, sport and culture.
Along the banks of the picturesque Daly River in Nauiyu, is the annual two-day Merrepen Arts Festival. With a Jam packed program of activity, the festival includes Aboriginal art auctions, concerts and traditional weaving and screen-printing workshops.
Music festivals
Dance up a storm and soak up the balmy festival vibes at BASSINTHEGRASS, Darwin’s most iconic beachside music festival and the largest festival in the Northern Territory.
Let yourself go at the Wide Open Space in Alice Springs - a three day music, arts and desert culture festival under the majestic and timeless backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges.
To market
Markets are a big part of life in the Territory and a great way to get your hands on some amazing regional tucker, crafts and produce.
Be sure to catch the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets while in Darwin, and the Todd Mall Markets when you're in Alice Springs.
Feeling quirky
At Darwin’s Beer Can Regatta thousands flock to Mindil beach to see custom-made ‘race boats’ constructed of – you guessed it – beer cans.
Never discouraged by a lack of water, Alice Springs holds the Henley-On-Todd, with participants building bathtub yachts, bottomless boats or whatever gets them running (literally) along the dry Todd River fastest.
Cheer on your heroes
Hear the crowds roar when NRL and AFL teams make visits to NT and when Hidden Valley Raceway hosts the Australian Superbike Championships and V8 Supercar Series.
For less horsepower but a little more... horsepower, the Darwin Cup is the pinnacle of Top End racing and an iconic 8 day ‘Carnival of colour’.
Embrace the outback spirit at the Tennant Creek Cup, a must-see traditional outback horse race held on St Patrick’s Day.