Desert Harmony Festival is the major cultural event of the year on the Tennant Creek calendar. It provides an opportunity for the local community to participate and experience a wide range of cultural and artistic activities over a week long period.
The program includes a range of participatory and workshop experiences which residents would not generally have, living in such an isolated location. Experiences, that are taken for granted in larger centres. Each year, the Festival Coordinator uses the previous year’s program as a base to expand and improve the event.
In its 12th year, the 2001 festival ran over nine days from 14 – 22 September.
Program highlights included the following.
- ‘Trains of Treasure’ display – a celebration of rail workers’ cultural history told through photos, poems and songs.
- ‘New Breezes and Naked Skin’ – an exhibition by three local artists who have combined music and visual art to produce an exhibition to assault the senses with provocative sensual sound and imagery.
- ‘The Tricks To Making People Laugh: A Humour Workshop’ – a workshop which started from the premise that anyone can be funny emphasising that comedy isn’t magic or gift, it’s mostly a matter of simple rules and techniques.
- The ‘Weird, Wacky And Wonderful’ Fashion Parade – with a record 100 entries this spectacular event again attracted over 400 people, with all fashion designers and models residents of Tennant Creek.
At the ‘Spirit Of The Desert’ Telegraph Station evening participants were wined and dined under the stars and entertained by local poet Jimmy Hooker and other local artists. The Drop Of A Hat Comedy Theatre night provided 90 minutes of good humour blended with beautiful songs based on Australian bush history.
A night of international entertainment and cuisine at the Multicultural Night, enabled Tennant Creek residents to share their native dance, song, costumes and customs.
Each year, residents look forward to this showcase of local talent and festivities.
