Parrtjima comes to a dazzling close and 2023 dates confirmed

Parrtjima – A Festival in Light 2022 has finished in Alice Springs, but don’t worry, the much-loved free event will return to the Red Centre from 7-16 April 2023, and organisers are already planning how to wow the crowds all over again.

Celebrating thousands of years of culture, Parrtjima is the only Aboriginal light festival of its kind in the world. This year it took place from 8-17 April at Alice Springs Desert Park and Araluen Arts Centre, and attracted more than 23,000 attendances.

Parrtjima is delivered by Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) with Creative Directors AGB Events. It was named Best Regional Event at the 2021 Australian Event Awards. NTMEC CEO Tim Watsford said a large interstate crowd showed Parrtjima was coming of age on the national stage.

“Over the years Parrtjima has continued to develop and grow, offering more and more reasons for people to visit the Red Centre from all corners of Australia,” he said.

“More interstate visitors is great news for the local economy, with flow-on effects felt across multiple sectors. In a year where everything is opening up again, and more and more events are taking place across Australia, it also shows Parrtjima can hold its own among the best in the country, and is something of a standout.”

As well as 10 nights of free entertainment, this year’s event included excusive Parrtjima experiences, such as a special Preview Night, Araluen Art Centre tours, Merne bushfood tours and a nocturnal tour at Alice Springs Desert Park. The majority of guests joined these experiences as part of an interstate travel package, specifically designed to attract visitors to the Red Centre.

The festival included the spectacular light show on the MacDonnell Ranges, large-scale light installations developed from Aboriginal artworks, live music from King Stingray, Dan Sultan, Barkaa and more, plus workshops ranging from screen printing to pottery, talks with Aboriginal performers, artists and experts, and a retrospective of the works of acclaimed Australian director and cinematographer Warwick Thornton.

To find out more about the event visit www.parrtjima.com.au