Mahbilil Festival 2019
Kakadu’s Mahbilil Festival will be held from Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September celebrating the best in Indigenous music, arts, culture and bush-tucker – with everyone invited to join in the fun and excitement of the free, weekend Festival.
Staged at Jabiru Lakeside Park, Mahbilil is a family friendly event crammed with activities, workshops for kids, displays, Indigenous art exhibitions and demonstrations of weaving, painting and other crafts. Art from across Arnhem Land will be featured, along with performances from local traditional dance groups.
Bush-foods will feature prominently with large earth ovens cooking buffalo, barramundi and the specialty of the region, magpie goose.
Visitors can join in the fun with competitions such as spear throwing and magpie goose cooking. Workshops will include traditional arts and craft: spear-making, grass weaving and local storytelling.
The main festival day on Saturday runs from midday to midnight. Jabiru Area School will produce a special performance with Corrugated Iron Youth Arts as a highlight of the festival. The Mah-ket Place will be stocked with diverse food options, local arts and crafts, traditional language information stalls and more.
The music program for Saturday includes:
The incredible Black Rock Band – hailing from the region, the band has been touring the country and turning heads with their conscious message and energetic sound.
Shane Howard Trio – the former frontman of Goanna brings his gorgeous folk sound to Kakadu
Ripple Effect – the all female band from Maningrida are creating waves across the country with their beautiful harmonies
Phoebe Jacobs – Melbourne’s sultry songstress
Local legends Jabirumours and the Wulgularr Drifters.
On the Sunday night (1st Sept) there is a family-friendly outdoor movie night on the event lawns at the Crocodile Hotel – screening the fantastic family film “Bran Nue Dae”. There’s free entry for everyone and drinks and food can be purchased from the Crocodile Hotel.
Mahbilil provides the ideal incentive to visit Kakadu. Weather at the time of the Festival is perfect: with mild nights and dry, sunny days with temperatures just above 30C. Jabiru is a unique cross-cultural crossroads and provides easy access for visitors to Kakadu’s major attractions such as Ubirr, Nourlangie, Jim Jim and Twin Falls, Gunlom and Yellow Waters Billabong.
Jabiru’s world famous Crocodile Hotel is offering a special package for the Jabiru Festival, with execlusive discounts to ensure a memorable visit to Kakadu National Park, which is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its proclamation.
When: Friday 30 August – Saturday 1 September (with Kurrung Sports Carnival running 30 Aug/1 Sept)
Where: Jabiru
Info: mahbililfestival.com
Cost: FREE ENTRY (all events)
Indigenous dancing at Mahbilil FestivalLive entertainment at Mahbilil FestivalSpear Throwing at Mahbilil Festival, Kakadu
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION PACKAGE TO MAKE THE MOST OF KAKADU
Mercure Crocodile Kakadu Hotel in Jabiru is offering a special package allowing visitors to enjoy a full taste of Kakadu’s rich Indigenous culture and heritage, including:
– two nights accommodation (from 30 August through to 2 September)
– $249 per room per night for two adults
– complimentary upgrade to a superior room
– 25% of artwork in The Croc’s renowned Ochre Gallery
– 10% of food and beverages
– Welcome bottle of wine
Reservations: (08) 8979 9000 or reservations@crocodilehotel.com.au – quoting FEST
Package subject to availability and conditions.