Five nights left to enjoy Parrtjima – don’t miss out!

Parrtjima – A Festival in Light has reached the halfway mark in Alice Springs, with five successful nights clocked up and a further five to go. The festival has recorded almost 9,000 attendances so far.

Highlights, apart from the impressive illuminations and light installations at Alice Springs Desert Park, have included Deep Listening talks with Tracey Holmes and Stan Grant, a watercolour painting workshop with artists from the Namatjira School of Arts, and a live cooking demonstration with renowned chef Mark Olive and Kungkas Can Cook founder Rayleen Brown. The art class saw some unearth a new skill, while others were happy to chat to the artists and learn more about Aboriginal culture. In the cooking demo, Mark and Rayleen showed an eager audience how native bushfoods can be used in everyday cooking – with delicious results.

Northern Territory Major Events Company CEO Tim Watsford said it’s been a busy five nights of Parrtjima so far, with audiences soaking up the sights, sounds and tastes of the Red Centre.

In a year when nothing is certain, having more than 9000 visits to the festival is great news for the event, and for Alice Springs businesses.

There are another five nights to go, with plenty more on the agenda, including another cooking demonstration today, some incredible Territory musicians on stage and the final talks in the Deep Listening series. We encourage everyone to get online and register to secure their spot at Desert Park.

This has been a difficult year for many, with events few and far between. We are thankful for the support shown to Parrtjima by the Alice Springs community, and the many visitors who have attended and are keen to learn more about the Red Centre’s Aboriginal culture.

Parrtjima Curator and First Nations Adviser Rhoda Roberts said the response over the last five days of programming has been very encouraging, with interest increasing daily.

To see audiences emotionally moved by our Ranges light show shows there is an appetite for this sort of experience. There is a recognition that Aboriginal culture is our advantage, a unique point of difference and of national value.

Our visitors want to learn more about the incredible large-scale installations, our cultures, and the knowledge that is so generously passed on by our custodians and cultural guides. All this is why Parrtjima is transformative, uplifting and shines a light on the oldest living, adapting culture on the planet.

All events on the Parrtjima program are now taking place at Desert Park. The move means an increase in capacity, and more than 2500 people who were on a waitlist for the workshops, music sessions and Deep Listening talks can now attend. This is great news for those who wish to immerse themselves more deeply in the Parrtjima experience.

The only Aboriginal light festival of its kind, Parrtjima showcases the Red Centre’s ancient Aboriginal culture through the newest technologies, reaching new audiences and encouraging people to visit and explore the heart of the nation.

Remember this year you need to register – visit www.parrtjimaaustralia.com.au. Parrtjima will return from 9-18 April 2021.