Garrmalang Festival announces 2023 line-up at Darwin Entertainment Centre

Darwin’s only Indigenous-run multi-arts festival is set to return with a bigger line-up than ever before. Here’s what it will offer.

Darwin’s only Indigenous-run major multi-arts event is coming in hot this dry season.

Historically a three-day event, Garrmalang Festival will run for almost a week this May with a swag of free and ticketed events.

Headline acts include Elaine Crombie, a singer and comedian extraordinaire perhaps best known for her role in the movie Top End Wedding.

Ms Crombie is set to bring her latest cabaret theatre piece Janet Vagrant’s Love, a story about “loss, love and raising black men” paired with “wicked one-liners”.

Elaine Crombie will bring her cabaret theatre piece Janet Vagrant’s Love to the Darwin Entertainment Centre for one night only. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Within the show there’s a bit of comedy and levity but really it’s just my story about being a single mum, raising my beautiful sons in today’s climate,” she said.

She joins eight-piece Yolngu funk outfit Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, Australia’s Got Talent finalist Chris Tamwoy and Territory favourite Paul Ah Chee among others in the packed line-up.

An Evening with Ursula Yovich is another scheduled highlight, with the singer’s full band including bassist Adam Ventura from Midnight Oil in tow.

Kevin Kropinyeri also returns for a headline show in this year’s Big Blak Dot Comedy Spectacular.

Creative director Wendy Ludwig said this year’s line-up offered a “six-day feast” of music, song, dance, comedy, art and panel discussions.

“This year promises to deliver the very best in First Nations talent this country has to offer, bringing together all our community to celebrate as one,” Ms Ludwig said.

Garrmalang Festival has launched its 2023 program, with Elaine Crombie’s show Janet Vagrant’s Love among creative director Wendy Ludwig’s six-day schedule. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“As part of the bigger Garrmalang Festival 2023 we are dedicating a section of the program to engaging with First Nations youth through a series of workshops and a panel discussion around issues of importance when thinking about their futures.”

Garrmalang Festival runs from Tuesday, May 23 to Sunday, May 28.

The festival comes just weeks before Darwin’s first-ever queer music festival.

Darwin Pride will be headlined by Territory born and bred superstar VASSY.

VASSY is headlining Darwin Pride 23, the Top End’s first queer music festival.

Her global hit Bad with David Guetta and Showtek has just racked up two billion streams, with other singles reaching the top spot in more than 30 countries.

“After performing PRIDE festivals all around the US every year, and having just performed World Pride in Sydney, it makes me very happy to come home to perform for my local community in Darwin,” VASSY said.

Tickets have also just dropped for RedCentre NATS, which returns to Alice Springs this September for its ninth year.

The festival marks the only time Australians can legally drive highly-modified vehicles on the road, with spectators to be trackside for 4WD, drag racing and burnout shows.