2024 NPA Cultural Festival - Date 11 - 13 July 2024

 

Latest Festival News

NPARC is happy to announce the 2024 NPA Cultural Festival's major act is booked: Mitch Tambo is a proud Gamilaraay man, musician and activist who will perform with his band - together with Australia's leading First Nations comedian Sean Choolburra.

Mitch Tambo will perform with his band on 13 July 2024

Australian World Music Star Mitch Tambo is a new voice for a generation producing music that cuts across culture.

Mitch Tambo blends traditional Aboriginal sounds and language with contemporary beats and production. The multi-talented recording artist first stunned the nation when he performed a spine tingling First Nations version of the iconic John Farnham anthem, You're The Voice on the 2019 Finale of Australia’s Got Talent. Mitch’s performance was powerful and won the hearts of Australia as well as a host of other countries.

Mitch last six songs as a Sony recording artist being You’re The Voice, Together, Love, Absolutely Everybody, Dreamtime Princess, Heal have all gone #1 on the iTunes World Music Charts solidifying Tambo as Australia’s World Music Star.

"Let's Dance"

Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council (NPARC) is proud to host the 2024 NPA Cultural Festival – United Cultures = Strong Future: "Let's Dance".

The Festival committee and coordinators have commenced planning for the festival to be held 11 – 13 July 2024. The 2024 Festival will travel between each of the 5 x Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Injinoo, Umagico, Seisia, New Mapoon and finishing in Bamaga. A carved fire torch will be lit to signify peace, unity and the flame of culture, the torch will make its way throughout the communities with small community events taking place before the big events in Bamaga over two days.

Comedian Sean Choolburra, sponsored by Veolia

This Festival is a free event for all community members, families and tourists. Let us show you our cultural dance groups, emerging artists, talents, cultural food and local arts/craft stalls. On display throughout the festival is traditional carving workshops, art exhibitions, history walks and tours to learn about historical places within NPA - the Northern Peninsula Area of Cape York Peninsula.

How to get to the NPA

FLY to Bamaga:

Bamaga Airport - or the Northern Peninsula Airport (ABM) - is located close to the Bamaga community.

The NPA is accessible by air all year round, with daily return flights by SkyTrans from Cairns (CNS) Airport.

FLY to Horn Island:

Skytrans also flies to Horn Island Airport (adjacent to Thursday Island) in the Torres Strait Islands. Daily ferries are available from Horn Island/ Thursday Island to reach Seisia Jetty in the NPA. Seisia is 5.6km from Bamaga.

Flight information - see here: https://www.nparc.qld.gov.au/airport

ROAD trip:

Bamaga is around 1000km from Cairns. Travel is via Highway 1 from Cairns to Mareeba, then head north onto Highway 81 to Laura - then the Peninsula Development Rd to Jardine River Crossing, and onward to Injinoo, Bamaga, Umagico, New Mapoon & Seisia (the five communities of NPA). Travel via 4WD vehicle is advisable on the unsealed roads of Cape York.

Expression of Interest

Community & Cultural performance groups

Festival Organisers are currently seeking EOI for cultural groups, artists and musicians who can help make our festival successful, fun and exciting. We want our cultural performance program to:

• Create a festival atmosphere that celebrates our cultures
• Unite, proud, patriotic, collective voice in celebration
• Provide something that’s innovative, or original
• Contemporary or culturally relevant
• Promote and encourage participation

We are taking expression of interests from groups in the following ways:

• Roving performers who are able to participate in a float parade
• Children's entertainment
• Cultural performance and dance groups
• Individual artists emerging and professional (Open to all ages)
• Comedians, singers , poets or entertainers

To submit an expression of interest, please email festival@nparc.qld.gov.au

Please also note that travelling attendees will need to source accommodation early as spots are filling fast with the incoming tourists. 

Festival Organisers

For all enquiries please contact Dev Lengjel on 0493 091 542 or email festival@nparc.qld.gov.au.

For General Event Information - Call - 07 4048 6608 / email: hassim.adidi@nparc.qld.gov.au  

Scan for More Latest Updates here:

 

Full Program: 12-13 July 2024

NPA Cultural Fest Program - Fri 12 July 2024

NPA Cultural Fest Program - Sat 13 July 2024