MAHBILIL FESTIVAL
A family-friendly celebration of music, art, bushfoods and culture in Jabiru, Kakadu.
The cooling afternoon breeze
Mahbilil celebrates the Kurrung season in Kakadu, when the days are warm, the nights are cool, and the Magpie Geese are on the move.
Mahbilil is a family-friendly event crammed with free activities for the kids, displays, market stalls, Indigenous art exhibitions and traditional dancers. Experience a free ground oven, with bush foods cooked in the traditional way. As night falls the Marrawuddi lawns come alive with a fantastic line-up of music and entertainment. The Mahbilil Festival coincides with the annual Kurrung Sports Carnival.
Jabiru is the gateway to Kakadu, and to Arnhem Land, a unique cross-cultural crossroads. Kakadu is one of the few places in the world that has both Cultural and Environmental World Heritage status. During the Kurrung season the afternoon breeze, Mahbilil, rises and the Magpie Geese fly in huge numbers, a season of regeneration after the burning and cleansing that came before.
What's on
Traditional Dance
Bushfoods
Experience a free, traditional ground oven.
Workshops
Cultural, weaving, painting and spear making workshops.
Art Exhibition
Indigenous art exhibition at the Marrawuddi Gallery.
Music Lineup
Special Guest
Friday – Jam Session
Saturday – Main Stage
Ivan Namarnyilk
Ivan Namarnyilk's work is deeply connected to Country and community.
Friday 28 August, 4pm to 7pm at Marrawuddi Gallery. Ivan is the youngest of the three Namarnyilk brothers who are making a name for themselves in the fine art world. His older brothers Neville and Robert are perhaps better established, with Neville instrumental in the formation of Injalak Arts and Crafts in Gunbalanya, and Robert building his reputation through exhibitions and as a finalist in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.
All artwork will be available for sale at the exhibition.
Festival Program
| 4 – 6pm | Kids activities | Gregory Pl |
| 4 – 7pm | Art Exhibition – Ivan Namarnyilk | Marrawuddi Gallery |
| 5 – 9pm | Food stalls open | Gregory Pl |
| 6 – 9pm | Jam Session – Music on the Lawns | Marrawuddi |
| 8am – 1pm | Marrawuddi Café open | Marrawuddi Café |
| 8am – 2pm | Marrawuddi Gallery open | Marrawuddi Gallery |
| 9am | Opening Ceremony | Main Stage |
| 9am – 2pm | Free competitions | Café & Gallery |
| 9am – late | Food stalls open | Gregory Pl |
| 9am – 5pm | Kids activities, waterslide & jumping castle | Leichhardt Oval |
| 9am – 4pm | Market stalls, information booths & demonstrations | Gregory Pl |
| 10am – 5pm | Painting & spear making workshops | Marrawuddi |
| 10am – 5pm | Weaving workshops | Firie Lane |
| 10am – 5pm | Cultural workshops | Meet at information booth |
| 10.30am | Meet and get a photo with the Jabiru Bombers | Firie Lane |
| 11am | Dunk a Bomber | Leichhardt Oval |
| 1pm | Free ground oven experience | Food Court |
| 2pm | Colour run | Leichhardt Oval |
| 3pm | Spear throwing competition | Leichhardt Oval |
| 4pm | Winners of the competitions announced | Main Stage |
| 4.30pm | Traditional Dancers | Gregory Pl |
| 5.30pm – late | Music Lineup | Main Stage |
Partners & Supporters
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