After a year on the sidelines Nightcliff’s Seabreeze festival is blowing again
Nightcliff’s Seabreeze Festival returns in May after a year in mothballs – and there’s a quirky sponsorship twist.
Northern Territory
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Nightcliff’s Seabreeze Festival is back!
The fun-fest, which for many heralds the start of the Top End dry season, was sidelined last year with funding difficulties.
And artists wishing to perform had better be quick.
Expressions of interest for artists close Friday March 31 and applications for community stallholders close on April 23.
This year’s festival, which usually engages over 1600 local artists and attracts 20,000 people over three days, has a curious sponsorship twist.
The other Nightcliff Seabreeze – the half-finished apartment block on the corner of Dick Ward and Progress drives – is this year’s naming rights sponsor.
Like its festival namesake, the Seabreeze apartments are also making a comeback after financial issues forced developers Sunbuild to shelve the project in 2016.
The three-day festival begins Friday May 12 along a two-kilometre stretch of the Nightcliff foreshore.
The festival is run by Nightcliff Arts, Music and Culture Incorporated and backed by the Northern Territory government through Northern Territory Major Events.
First held in 2005, the Seabreeze features music, dance, visual arts and stalls from creatives and community groups.
The announcement the Seabreeze is back has been welcomed by former City of Darwin alderman and festival logistics manager Andrew Arthur.
“Spanning three glorious days in May, and heralding the beginning of the dry season, Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival will showcase Territory talent across multiple stages along the stunning Nightcliff foreshore overlooking the Timor Sea,” Mr Arthur said.
“The festival will have something for everyone, so mark your diaries and come on down to the foreshore for a packed weekend of music, arts and culture.”
Last year, Mr Arthur told the NT News the decision to cancel the 2022 festival was “shattering”.
Sunbuild owner Neil Sunners said the business is committed to the local Darwin community.
“Now the Seabreeze Apartments project is underway, supporting Nightcliff Arts, Music and Culture and their ethos around waste-wise initiatives, sustainability and community inclusiveness seems the perfect way to combine our business community spirit with a deeply embedded and popular community organisation,” he said.
“We are thrilled to be embarking on this new partnership with the Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival this year.”
Major Events chief executive Suzana Bishop said the festival would provide an avenue for artists to share their talents.
“Events like Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival are an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate our vibrant arts scene,” she said.
“This festival is unusual in the format it takes, with multiple stages and performance spaces dotted along our beautiful foreshore, encouraging visitors to take their time threading their way through them all. It is a wonderful celebration of our outdoors Top End lifestyle.”
For more information or to apply to volunteer, visit www.nightcliffseabreeze.com
Originally published as After a year on the sidelines Nightcliff’s Seabreeze festival is blowing again
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