Events and festivals Darwin, Northern Territory

didgeridoo , clapstick players performing @ seabreeze festival

on 1 july, territorians celebrate territory day. day of year, apart chinese new year , new year s eve, when fireworks permitted. in darwin, main celebrations occur @ mindil beach, large firework display commissioned government.

weekly markets include mindil beach sunset markets (thursdays , sundays during dry season), parap market, nightcliff market , rapid creek market. mindil beach sunset markets popular locals , tourists alike , feature food, souvenirs, clothes , local performing artists.

the darwin festival held annually, includes comedy, dance, theatre, music, film , visual art , nt indigenous music awards. other festivals include glenti, showcases darwin s large greek community, , india@mindil, similar festival held smaller indian community. chinese new year celebrated great festivity, highlighting asian influence in darwin.

the seabreeze festival, first started in 2005, held on second week of may in suburb of nightcliff. offers opportunity local talent showcased , popular event saturday family festivities along nightcliff foreshore 1 of darwin s popular fitness tracks.

the speargrass festival held annually week prior july s first full moon , celebrates alternative top end lifestyle. festival activities include music, screening of locally produced films, screen printing, basket weaving, sweat lodge, water slides, human pyramid, hot tub, frisbee golf, spear throwing, kubb competition, bingo, communal organic cooking, morning yoga, meditation, greasy pig , healing circles. festival occurs @ speargrass property, 50 km (31 mi) northeast of pine creek.

the darwin beer-can regatta, held in august, celebrates darwin s love affair beer , contestants race boats made exclusively of beer cans. in darwin during month of august, darwin cup horse race, , rodeo , mud crab tying competition.

the world solar challenge race attracts teams around world, of fielded universities or corporations although fielded high schools. race has 20-year history spanning 9 races, inaugural event taking place in 1987.

the royal darwin show held annually in july @ winnellie showgrounds. exhibitions include agriculture , livestock. horse events. entertainment , side shows included on 3 days of event.