Parrtjima - A Festival in Light
Parrtjima - A Festival in Light takes place Apr 2027 (10 nights, dates TBC) in Alice Springs, Australia. The dress code is Warm layers and a jacket for cold desert nights, plus comfortable walking shoes for the outdoor trails. Typical cost ranges from 100 to 500 EUR per person.
A free Aboriginal light festival at Alice Springs Desert Park that paints almost two kilometres of the ancient MacDonnell Ranges with First Nations art after dark. Light installations sit alongside talks, workshops and performances celebrating the world's oldest continuous culture. Entry is free, rewarding travellers who make the outback journey each April.
- When
- Apr 2027 (10 nights, dates TBC)
- Where
- Alice Springs, Australia
- Dress code
- Warm layers and a jacket for cold desert nights, plus comfortable walking shoes for the outdoor trails
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 100 to 500 EUR per person.
- Weather
- Desert autumn: 26C warm clear days, cold 10 - 12C nights
- When to book
- Register for free timed tickets when they open on the official site; book Alice Springs hotels 2+ months out as the town fills
- Getting there
- ASP (Alice Springs), 15 min to Alice Springs Desert Park
- Where to stay
- Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters, DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs
- Official site
- https://parrtjimaaustralia.com.au/
How to attend
Entry is free, but register for a free timed ticket on parrtjimaaustralia.com.au to manage crowds. The festival runs nightly across a ten-day window at Alice Springs Desert Park, with a free shuttle typically running from town each evening. Fly into Alice Springs and book accommodation early.
Entry is free and nothing needs to be booked - just turn up at Alice Springs Desert Park on the night.
Insider tip
Go on a weeknight and linger late - the light works on the 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges read best once the early crowds thin.
Get inside Parrtjima - A Festival in Light
Booking matters here: register for free timed tickets when they open on the official site; book Alice Springs hotels 2+ months out as the town fills. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.