DESFEST ON THE FRINGE
Heading into its 24th year, the Desert Festival 2025 Fringe Edition, produced by Red Hot Arts in Mparntwe/Alice Springs, promises to bring together more than two decades of grassroots talent.
WORDS JENNA HOARE
AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS DesFest, the Festival returns for 18 days, with a fresh, Fringe-inspired program, shining a light on Central Australia’s diverse arts community.
Artistic Director Angie Stahl says this year's Festival is a culmination of community feedback and a realignment with a hyperfocus on local talent.
“The main feedback we get is that DesFest is so important for local artists from different artforms ... theatre, performing arts, dance, circus, comedy, aerials, acrobats, you name it,” she says.
“That’s what the Festival is at the end of the day. We do it for the sector and for the artists.”
The theme for 2025 ‘Home’ celebrates Central Australia's locally grown talent and the many spaces around town that give a platform to multi-arts performances and workshops. More than a dozen event spaces play host to music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and storytelling, activating the desert’s unique venues.
Among the standout performances in the program is production Big Name, No Blankets, which shares the story of the Warumpi Band, set to take the stage at the Araluen Arts Centre.
“Big Name, No Blankets has been in the making for over 12 months. It’s toured all over Australia and we felt that it had to come home,” Stahl says.
And for young dreamers, Dream Big 2025 is a First Nations-led event in collab with Red Hot Arts, in three parts – a Block Party, a hip-hop concert, and music workshops.
“We wanted to give something for young people to feel hopeful about and create positivity, positive pathways, and give young people the chance to dream. Bringing people together and the arts is a great way to do that," Stahl says.
Another big part of this year’s Festival is the Pass the Mic competition, which gives a winning local artist a chance to represent the region at the national final in Sydney, with a cash prize up for grabs.
"We’re the only regional and remote town on the map for the competition. All the rest are major cities. It's a life changing opportunity," Stahl says.
Rounding out the Festival, take your pick from an outstanding line-up of comedians, dance theatre, folk, and electronic music, alongside a series of satellite events and an evening of country music that’s sure to stir up the dust. Yeehaw!
Desert Festival Fringe Edition
WHEN THU 3 – SUN 20 JULY
INFO desfest.com
Festival Highlights
DesFest 2025 Opening Night
Check out an industrial venue doing great things for a special opening night in partnership with Red Dirt Poetry. The Dirty Word is an open-mic event dedicated to the spoken word. Enjoy live performances by featured local artists. Arrive early to get your spot!
WHEN THU 3 JUL | 6PM
AT THE ROASTERY
COST $5
Giddy Up!
Dust off the desert boots and dance it up at Giddy Up! – a country music party led by the sounds of Honky Tonky Disco, Meg Wright, and the Wrong Girls. Hosted at The Hub, an open-air venue at Red Hot Arts.
WHEN SAT 5 JUL | 6PM
AT THE HUB
COST $25
Dream Big: Block Party, BBQ + Pass the Mic Competition
Scoot along for a fun-filled youth event with a free BBQ, community market stalls, and fresh haircuts on offer. Connect with local services in an all-inclusive environment. Don’t miss the Pass the Mic hip-hop competition, followed by a hip-hop concert with a hot line-up of local and interstate artists – Yung Warriors, Dylan Voller, Tommy G, Dem Arrernte Mob, Arli, and Isaac Puerile.
WHEN FRI 11 JUL | 5-7PM
AT ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE
COST FREE
Come to the Edge
Created and performed by Miriam Nicholls and the Dusty Feet Dance Collective, Come to the Edge explores transformation and courage through contemporary dance and physical theatre. With aerial choreography by Strings Attached and a musical backdrop by Max Richter, Portico Quartet, Ludovico Einaudi, and Nils Frahm, the theatre piece delivers an uplifting message.
WHEN SAT 12 JUL, 6PM | SUN 13 JUL, 2PM
AT CENTRALIAN SENIOR COLLEGE
COST $10-$50
Image: Silvia Storchi
