Desert Festival: 27 - 29 Sept 2024

Desert Festival: celebrating local arts and culture

Desert Festival is back again this September, for a vibrant weekend celebrating place, community, and creativity.
Dive into desert stories through live music, dance, theatre, immersive experiences, light installations, workshops, and engaging panel events, and sink into the lush bush surrounds of Olive Pink Botanic Gardens.
Taking place from 27th – 29th September, the theme of the 2024 program is alternate realties and shifting perspectives, focusing on immersive experiences and opportunities for play that assist audiences to immerse themselves into stories from the heart of Australia.

Desert Festival has grown into a well known, loved and diverse festival in Mparntwe / Alice Springs, and continues to hold its place as a leading shoulder season festival that benefits and celebrates the arts, tourism and the local business community.

In addition to seeding well known, independent festivals and events, Desert Festival also successfully partners with local sector peers and businesses, such as Music NT, 8CCC, ABC Alice Springs, Triptic, Desert Knowledge, Alice Springs Town Council, AS Print, Bendigo Bank, Megafauna Central Alice Springs, Alice Springs Airport, local accommodation providers, hotels, and other businesses.

The festival has a long history of diverse local activations, bringing unlikely venues and locations to life and setting precedents for how public space can be alternatively utilised.

We are an important festival because we are multi arts oriented and support all sectors of the community, showcasing art forms and mediums from all sectors of the community, and playing a vital role in centering and celebrating diverse voices such as First Nations, LGBTQI, disability, women and CALD communities.

Through collaboration and partnerships, we are able to maximise community connection to the arts, support incubation of new works, promote artists and artistic opportunities and co-ordinate professional development opportunities for the local arts sector.

Desert Festival website