Thousands flock to Parrtjima festival opening night

Thousands of people have converged on the heart of the nation for the opening night of Parrtjima – A Festival in Light, the only Aboriginal light festival of its kind and one of the Northern Territory’s biggest events.

Running nightly until 13 April 2025, the free, all-ages festival is once again illuminating Alice Springs (Mparntwe) for its milestone 10th edition, offering a breathtaking celebration of culture, art, and technology under the starry skies of Central Australia.

Inspired by the 2025 theme ‘Timelessness’, Parrtjima showcases the world’s oldest continuous cultures through stunning light installations and performances – all set against the breathtaking 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges.

The festival opened with the much-loved MacDonnell Ranges Light Show and Grounded installations, alongside the debut of four new works by Aboriginal artists.

This year’s Parrtjima features the work of more than 20 First Nations artists across six major installations, supported by over 100 performers and special guests spanning music, comedy, visual arts, workshops, talks, and more.

New installations include Three Generations of Station Women by Balanggarra and Yolŋu artist Molly Hunt, a moving tribute to the resilience and strength of three generations of Aboriginal stock women, brought to life in an animated comic strip. Meanwhile, Hypnotic Reverberations immerses visitors in Bobby West Tjupurrula’s Country, where beams of light dance through mist and shimmer, creating dreamlike, ever-shifting landscapes that evoke the spirit of the land. At the festival’s entrance, The Gateway stands as a powerful welcome, featuring towering poles created collaboratively by artists from Alice Springs’ three estate groups – Antulye, Irlpme, and Mparntwe.

Some of Parrtjima’s most cherished past installations have also returned this year, including Budgerigar Dreaming Ngatijirri Jukurrpa. Wirliyajarrayi artist Myra Nungarrayi Herbert Patrick granted permission to use shapes from her painting to create more than a thousand abstract bird sculptures. Painted in neon by school and community groups – at the request of Arrernte Elders and with the artist’s blessing – these birds formed a glowing canopy and striking welcome gateway when lit with UV light at the 2018 festival.

Also returning is The Language of Stockmen by Tapatjatjaka Art artists Johnny Young and David Wallace. First showcased at Parrtjima 2019, this striking work transforms delicate wire sculptures into towering four-metre installations, brilliantly lit from within by Australian lighting maestro Richard Neville.

In addition to light installations, opening night welcomed back the much-loved Blak Markets – a collaboration between Desart and the NT Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) – giving visitors the opportunity to explore and ethically purchase First Nations artworks.

The evening also featured a live music performance by acclaimed First Nations singer-songwriter Marlon, an interactive workshop with the renowned the Hermannsburg Potters, thought-provoking panel talks, and a wide range of other enlightening experiences for all ages.

• Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs every night until 13 April 2025.