If you’re travelling all the way up to Australia’s Top End, you might as well time your trip with one of its culture-packed festivals. Don’t let the Northern Territory’s population size fool you. This territory knows how to throw a spectacular shindig, ringing in local and international talents to make it one for the memory books.
Many of Darwin’s top festivals are a celebration of the world’s oldest living culture, showcasing the talents of Australia’s Indigenous peoples. From Kakadu to Alice Springs, these events offer a chance to learn from our Traditional Owners and forge deeper connections with the lands that we walk on today. Here’s our handy guide to the best festivals in Darwin, plus a few worth the drive beyond the city limits.
April
The only kind of Aboriginal light festival of its kind in the world. Parrtjima (pronounced Par-chee-ma) takes its name from the Arrernte word Parrtma, which means ‘lighting up’ in two ways – both illuminating an object and shedding light on a subject. For ten days, this shining festival of lights illuminates the red desert of Alice Springs, sharing timeless stories of the world’s oldest continuous culture through innovative art installations and large-scale projections.
May
Every year at the start of the dry season, the epic Bass in the Grass festival arrives in Darwin, heralding in a perfect storm of sequins, disco and quality music acts that draw in great crowds and even greater times. Blazing sunsets, incredible street food, stunning music, a whole plethora of parties, silent discos and rainbows galore make Bass worth your salt. This one-day festival only happens once a year, so if you're planning on making the trip up north, think about making it coincide with this big and fabulous day out.
May
Kakadu – home to the world’s oldest living culture – hosts the ultimate Indigenous bush foods and culture festival, which has been 65,000 years in the making. It's worth the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Darwin for culturally enriching experiences, like dark sky dinners featuring ranger-guided bush tucker walks, ‘croc and canapé’ cruises, ground oven feasts, and native ingredients foraged in Kakadu National Park.
May/June
Humongous, vibrant and seriously striking – Darwin is a canvas for some of the world’s most spectacular street art. Thanks to the city’s highly-awarded Street Art Festival, it’s the only Australian city with a mural on every major city street. In 2024, more than 20 new, thought-provoking murals were painted across Darwin's walls and laneways, accompanied by artist talks, free block parties, outdoor film screenings and graffiti workshops.
August
Want to escape the cold in mainland Australia? Look no further. With a tagline of 'Hot August Nights', you know you're in for a special time. This tropical wonderland of a city in Australia's Top End comes alive every August with a huge festival that brings joy, music and extremely good laksa to every street corner. You can expect shimmering fairy lights, incredible street food and a vibrant array of epic live performances, art and music, including at the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs).
September
Seeing a movie at the Deckchair Cinema is like a rite of passage for anyone visiting Darwin, and there’s no better time to do it than during Darwin International Film Festival (DIFF). Showcasing 50 films from more than 20 countries, DIFF celebrates the vibrant diversity of the Darwin community, with a special focus on Southeast Asian cinema and Indigenous stories. Throughout the festival, you can also catch free, family-friendly films on the Peninsula Lawns, meet international cinematographers, and unwind with live sunset music sessions before the screenings begin. Cue the popcorn!
October
If there’s one dish Darwin is famous for, it’s a steaming bowl of laksa. This might seem odd given the Territory’s year-round temperatures sit in the mid-30s, but the locals love it so much that they’ve dedicated an entire month to celebrating this spicy noodle soup. During the festival, you can slurp your way around the city, sampling everything from classic bowls of varying spice levels to laksa-flavoured ice cream, bagels, sausages, burgers and cocktails. The fiery festivities culminate at the Festival Finale, where awards for The Golden Bowl and Regional Best Laksa are handed out, alongside the People’s Choice awards, voted on by the locals themselves.
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