merrepen arts festival

Friday 30th may

8am	Sporting Carnival begins with teams from around the region competing in football, softball and basketball
6pm	Dance Party and Bust A Move Dance Off- Winners invited to perform at Saturday night concert event
Saturday 31st may
	Sporting Carnival continues throughout the day
10am	Merrepen Arts Centre Textile Exhibition opens along with the launch of new range of screen printed fabrics. Textiles are designed by local artists in collaboration with Ms Bobbie Ruben, Textile Designer
10am	Art sale of paintings and Limited Edition Prints and textiles begins and continues all day
10am	Opening of Photographic Exhibition by John Tsialos Photography. Exhibition is a moving look of images taken over past festivals and highlights the beauty and community spirit of Nauiyu Community and surrounds
11am	Traditional Bush Tucker roasted all day for tasting
11am	Didgeridoo Making and Demonstration along with Spear, Clap Sticks and Boomerang. Learn how to make fire by traditional methods
11am	Multicultural and traditional dance performancesg
12 noon	‘Fi’ Weaving Workshops run by the local ladies.
1.30pm	Q & A Textile Printing Forum Artists talking and answering questions about their textile designs, facilitated by Ms Bobbie Ruben
2.15pm	Multicultural and traditional dance performances
3pm	Ngan’gi Seasonal Calendar: Sharing the story of our traditional hunting patterns, with some special insights into traditional hunting tecniques from a community elder.
6pm	Mass in St Francis Xavier Church
7pm	Ngan’giwetimbi Dememarrgu Old Stories New Ways is a unique cultural performance with dance, music and fashion. It tells traditional stories of the Nauiyu artists and displays their exciting contemporary textiles that are creating a stir across Australia.The performance will include traditional dancing from the Red Flag Dhumbala dancers, and an excerpt from the Gary Lang NT Dance Company’s latest production ‘Mokoi’. The performance will be choreographed and produced by Grace Lillian Lee, from the Torres Strait, who is rapidly becoming a tour de force in the fashion world. Then dance the night away with some of the Top End’s favourite bands: the ever popular Yilila from Numbulwar, Dambali Band the young sensations from Nukurr, and the Road Safety Allstars fresh from recording their new CD.
Sunday 1st june
8am	Sporting Carnival continues throughout the day
10am	Textile Exhibition continues in Art Gallery and Outdoor Exhibition area within the art centre precinct
10.30am	Art Sale continues all day
11am	Traditional Bush Tucker roasting and tasting continues
11am	Didgeridoo Making and Demonstration along with Spear, Clap Sticks and Boomerang.
11am	Multicultural and traditional dancing
11.30am	Launch of the Ngan’gi Plants and Animals Book by Glenn Wightman Ethnobiologist and Patricia Marrfurra McTaggart AM and invited guest TBC
12 noon	Guess the Bush Tucker: Volunteer, Be brave, be blind folded and guess the bush tucker! Join in the fun!
1pm	Traditional and multicultural dancing
2pm	All afternoon Sporting Grand Finals