The Darwin Festival 2020

By Ken Teo at Ausinet – 6 August 2020 – Australian Institute of Electrotechnology

The Darwin Festival 2020 (DF20) is held each August and is a major event on the Darwin calendar. It spans 18 glorious days & nights and includes an exciting mix of outdoor concerts, comedy, theatre, visual arts and dance. The festival really comes alive at night, under the stars at Festival Park. Each warm evening you will find locals and tourists mingling and enjoying a drink with free live music and yummy food stalls on offer. The Housewarming event opened at 5pm 6th August in Festival Park marked the beginning of DF20.

Image Courtesy from Darwin Festival Facebook

Darwin Festival 2020 Dates: 6th - 23rd August

2020 has been a year like no other, so the Darwin Festival will do things differently. The outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted Australians in varying ways. Hence, being COVID-19 safe is a top priority and everyone’s responsibility. If you are sick, it is recommended you stay home. Before heading out to the festival, you must register your contact details on the DF20 website. You will receive a confirmation email or SMS, which you will need to show at the main entrance to Festival Park. This is a requirement for this year.

Even though COVID-19 safety measures are in place, they do not mean that DF20 will be any less fun. The DF20 is set to wow attendees with 18 jam-packed music, theatre and art days celebrating the best of local and international talent. More than 50 events will occur between Thursday, 6th August, and Sunday, 23rd August, during Darwin’s popular dry season. With more than half of the artists being Northern Territory locals, the celebration is sure to reflect the unique perspective of the region.

Plenty of Events Available

Music will be abundant, with free events, sold-out shows, and music awards, just some of the offers. The festival will open with a free celebration in Festival Park, for which the whole family is invited to drop by to eat, drink and catch up. If you are seeing a Sunset Stage show, you can exchange your ticket for a wristband at the main gate, which will allow you to move between Festival Park and the Sunset Stage. You can enter the ticketed area at 5 pm and settle in with a drink from the bar or bring food and drink from the main Festival Park area.

As always, the Rimfire Energy Bamboo Bandstand will host free music every night at Festival Park. There will be free dance performances on Saturday and Sunday evenings as well. So, while you eat, drink, and hang out with friends, you can relax and enjoy some great local tunes and moves. Late-night music lovers can also enjoy a free show on Thursday, 13th August, with Tutup Mulut performing their electro-acoustic Indonesian space music from Malam.

Those who are up for the challenge of saving the life of a cartoon hero from doom can participate in Avoidable Perils. This social experiment projected on screens in Festival Park asks you to send an SMS to help decide the fate of a series of characters. The more people who get involved, the more likely the onscreen heroes are to be rescued. So rally the group and experience the fun.

Get Your Ticket Today

Well known for its love of comedy, the Darwin Festival will offer an array of comedic shows, including some of Australia’s best: Don’t Feed the Ducks, starring award-winning comedian Amy Hetherington, and I See Dead People, presented by Australia’s premier archaeologist-comedian KC Martin-Stone. Dance, film, classical music, cabaret, circus and visual arts will also be represented throughout the festival at events that showcase accomplished musicians, provocative ideas and world-class exhibitions. Favourites include the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin Symphony Orchestra and the Final Front Ear.

For more details about the venue and session time for each event, please visit the DF20 website at https://www.darwinfestival.org.au/whats-on/. Tickets are on sale now, and some events are set to sell out, so it is best to get in early!