Alice Springs Festivals & Events

Alice Springs and Central Australia offers not only spectacular scenery and adventure, but also some wonderful, as well as unique annual festivals and events throughout the year. Whether your interest is motor vehicle or sports, to creative crochet and beanies, or even playing at boating related sports on a dry river bed, there is sure to be something that tickles your fancy.

Most of these activities are supported by a loyal band of volunteers and friends, both local and interstate visitors who travel especially for the event. Check out some of the listed events (we will be adding more information about them) from the visitor information centre or the festival and event own website.

• Alice Springs
  • Araluen Arts Centre – What’s on — throughout the year
    The Araluen Arts Centre for visual and performing arts in Central Australia – a world class theatre and art gallery situated in the heart of Alice Springs.
  • FABalice Festival — early March
  • Central Australia Rough Riders — early April
  • Parrtjima Festival — early April
  • Wide Open Space Festival — Held April/May
    Head to Central Australia for a feast of music, arts and performance in the incredible MacDonnell Ranges. Inspired by desert culture (both traditional and contemporary) and the ancient landscape, Wide Open Space is a celebration of creativity, connection and the irrepressible human spirit!
  • Dark Skies Festival — Held May
    Central Australia’s Dark Skies Festival is a nine-night celebration of humanity’s connection to the Night Sky, and held at Earth Sanctuary.
  • Alice’s Longest Luncheon — Held May (to be announced)
    Alice’s Longest Luncheon is Alice Springs premier annual foodie event! The main fundraiser for the Hamilton Downs Youth Camp, lunch is catered by several of Alice’s leading restaurants and catering firms.
  • Pets on Parade — Held May
    Alice Springs Town Council invite you to the annual Pets on Parade, promoting responsible pet ownership to the local community.
  • Finke Desert Race — Held June
  • Alice Springs Beanie Festival — Held June
    — check out our article Snapshots: Alice Springs Beanie Festival and blog Birds Watching at the Beanie Festival
  • Alice Springs Show — this event is cancelled until July 2022
  • Advocate Art Award 2021 — July – August, Araluen Arts Centre
    The Advocate Art Award is presented by the Central Australian Art Society (CAAS), a volunteer-run organisation in Alice Springs that has supported art and artists since 1963. It is an all-inclusive exhibition, bringing together works by artists new, emerging and established, working across any medium.
  • Henley-on-Todd Regatta — this event is cancelled until August 2022
  • Anpernirrentye | Everything is connected — August
    — NT Writers Festival at the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens.
    This 4 day event, draws from the Arrernte concept of anpernirrentye, the Arrernte relationship system, which describes the way in which everything is connected to everything else
  • Red Centre Bird Festival — 2-5 September 2021
  • Red Centre Nats — 3-5 September 2021
  • Desert Mob Exhibition & MarketPlace — 9 September – 25 October
  • Desert Song Festival — 10-19 September 2021 — CANCELLED until next year
    — see their website for details of the cancellation and the mini activities planned. Also information about the event for 2022.
    • The Olive Pink Opera — this event has been CANCELLED until next year.
      — for the first time enjoy the unique experience of ‘Opera in the Botanic Garden’. Bringing together an internationally recognised composer, an iconic Central Australian music festival, the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir, Master Musicians and a local classical ensemble, to present an a uniquely Central Australian story through opera, to celebrate the extraordinary life of Olive Pink, a woman ahead of her time and who was an outspoken advocate for Aboriginal rights.
• Alice Desert Festival — 23 September – 3 October 2021
  Marking 21 years since the Festival first began in the heart of Australia, the Festival runs over 10 days and features a broad program of events including music, theatre, art, film, workshops, talks and more.
• World Solar Challenge — 22-30 October 2021

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• Other Events – Alice Springs
  • Alice Springs Street Art — 23rd July–1st Aug 2021
    Presented by Red Hot Arts – 4 local and 6 interstate artists will work together over 10 energetic days at 5 different sites to bring vibrant, original works of art to the town’s streets.
  • Earth Sanctuary — they often host events open to the public, bookings required.
  • Todd Mall Markets

Following are other resources providing information about events in Alice Springs.

• Alice Springs Events
  • Alice Springs Town Council — community and events.
  • Araluen Arts Centre — the centre for visual and performing arts in Central Australia.
  • Red Hot Arts — check out their calendar for current art and related events.

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Alice Springs is renowned for some quirky festivals and events. From our archive, are these wonderful images of dogs from some very talented artists.

• Alice Springs Archive
  • Big Mob of Dogs!

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