NICE & SEABREEZY
Do you love the Dry season, art and culture, great food, our tropical Top End lifestyle and being by the beach? Yep, same! Get set for a sweet weekend by the seaside, friends, as a beloved local festival makes a welcome return, this year celebrating 20 huge years.
WORDS TIERNEY WHITE
IMAGES PAZ TASSONE
THE E3 PRODUCTIONS Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival sees the stretch along the Nightcliff Foreshore come to life across three fun-filled days, dotted with food stalls, stages, art installations, and, once the sun dips into the ocean, party lights.
Created to celebrate and showcase the vibrant local community, this free, family-friendly festival is a feast for the senses with music, dance, visual arts, spoken word, community stalls, the much-loved sand sculpture competition, workshops, and food, glorious food.
Achieving a 20-year milestone is a testament to those working behind the scenes which has, and continues to be, run by an army of passionate volunteers. Andrew ‘Legs’ Arthur has been involved since day one and reckons the Festival’s longevity comes down to two main things.
“It’s the location … It’s just spectacular, on the Timor Sea – we’ve got the red cliffs, the aqua water,” he says.
“And it’s our local artists. We have such a strong, unique artistic community, and they’re constantly creating amazing songs and dance. They’re all looking for a forum to showcase their material. Those two things? Bang! We have the Seabreeze.”
Last year, about 1800 artists participated in Seabreeze, offering a diverse mix of art forms and experiences. The 2025 Seabreeze is set to offer the same, a huge cohort of local creatives charming audiences as they wander along the Foreshore.
Bryn Wackett started out as a volunteer in 2008 and has been involved on and off in the years since, this year on deck as Dance Stage Manager. She likes that punters can access the Festival in a way that suits them.
“I love that [the Festival] has the ocean side of Casuarina Drive cordoned off, so you can ride your bike or scooter up and down the Foreshore, safely. I just love that you can do that. Or you can meander at your own pace on foot along the footpath.”
This grassroots festival is loved for its laid-back, coastal atmosphere, with a strong focus on inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and local pride. Arthur says it’s treasured by many.
“You get people coming up and saying they love the Festival because it’s ‘our Festival’ – it’s Darwin’s people. It’s very fulfilling.”
With three main stages pumping over the weekend, a Community Village, the Jetty Art Space, a Spoken Word Corner, and a bunch of food and drink trucks, it’s a real flex on Darwin life. Settle in for three sweet days by the seaside and experience the essence of this magical, tropical place.
E3 Productions Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival
WHEN FRI 9 MAY, 5-10PM | SAT 10 MAY, 3-10PM | SUN 11 MAY, 3-8PM
AT NIGHTCLIFF FORESHORE
COST FREE
INFO nightcliffseabreeze.com
