Palmerston Youth Festival 2025: What to expect from the popular festival

One of the Top End’s most loved youth festivals is only weeks away, with the week-long event set to be bigger and better than ever before. Find out when it is.

One of the Top End’s most loved youth festivals is only weeks away, with the week-long event set to be bigger and better than ever before. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

One of the Top End’s most loved youth festivals is returning, with the week-long event set to be bigger and better than before.

Palmerston Youth Festival will run from July 5-11, bringing a huge line-up of free events and activities to young people and families.

Geekfest Top End, the Territory’s longest-running comic con and pop culture celebration, will kick off the first two days of the festival, followed by the much-loved NAIDOC Pool Party on day three, Pamper Palmy on day four, and Sportsfest on day five.

A brand-new hands-on event, Creative Collection will happen on day six of the event, and the popular Palmy’s Got Talent will wrap up the final day of the event.

There will be a number of events for people of all ages at the Youth Fesitval. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

City of Palmerston Mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell said the festival was important for Palmerston’s young population.

“We are known as a family city, with a very young median age of 31-years-old,” she said.

“It’s not just about sports, there’s all sorts of gaming and other activities that you get into as well as cosplay, so it is just about celebrating youth culture in Palmerston with a huge week of activities.”

Geekfest, the mayor said, was the event she was most excited for.

Ms Pascoe-Bell invites Territorians to “come out and enjoy” the week of free activities. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The chances of her dressing up for Geekfest, she said, were “pretty high”.

“I usually come dressed as something, whether its cosplay or if it’s a homemade costume,” she said.

“So it’s a pretty high chance that I will be dressed up, I just haven’t decided what I’ll be wearing.”

Minister for Youth, Seniors and Equality, Jinson Charls joked the chances of him dressing up were “pretty low”, but he acknowledged that the festival was a “great opportunity for young people to come and celebrate their creativity”.

“This is another great opportunity within the Territory for you to come together as a family and see people cherish their lives.”