Parrtjima – A Festival in Light draws record crowds to Alice Springs

Parrtjima – A Festival in Light has proven to be a success with thousands of visitors flocking to the Red Centre to soak up Indigenous art and culture.

The Parrtjima – A Festival in Light attracted record crowds off the back of scheduling changes.

The event, overlooked by the MacDonnell Ranges, drew more than 20,000 visitors to the Alice Springs Desert Park (ASDP).

The ten-day festival started on April 7 and finished on April 16, with the program including talks, music, workshops and art.

The only authentic Aboriginal light festival of its kind, this year’s theme was inspired by the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Parrtjima curator Rhoda Roberts previously said it was a “celebration of culture”, with the major installation from a series of artists from Mutitjulu, the Indigenous community at the base of Uluru.

“Around the Statement of the Heart there is artwork that is done by these ladies at Mutitjulu, and they wanted to frame that statement to tell the story of Uluru,” she said.

Six artworks by artists from the Central and Western Desert region were projected onto the red sand of Alice Springs Desert Park.

The MacDonnell Ranges Light Show turned the ancient landmark into a natural canvas.

Increased mid-week programming and a more accessible layout delivered dividends with numbers the highest since it kicked off in 2016, a NT government media release said.

There were more than 2200 attendees on the Monday, more than 2400 on the Tuesday and more than the 2800 on Thursday.

Overall, 20,271 people attended.

The Festival of Light attracted more than 20,000 people.

Workshops were also at capacity with more than 1000 people attending the Eastern Reggae Band concert.

Desert Park was closed due to inclement weather on the Saturday, so that day’s events were moved to Araluen Arts Centre, attracting about 600 people.

“Parrtjima – A Festival in Light is one of Alice Springs’ most highly anticipated events each year for locals and tourists, and 2023 was no exception,” Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said in a media release.

“The benefits of events cannot be overstated, and independent research shows Parrtjima 2022 generated a total expenditure stimulus in the Northern Territory of $14.7 million, with 81 per cent (that’s $11.9 million) being new money to the Territory.”

Major Events Minister Paul Kirby said: “The Alice Springs community and visitors have truly embraced Parrtjima 2023 with a total of 20,271 attendances across the festival.”

“There was roughly a 80/20 per cent split between Territorians and interstate guests, as well as international visitors thrown into the mix,” Mr Kirby said.

Originally published as Parrtjima – A Festival in Light draws record crowds to Alice Springs