Maitland Gears Up for Riverlights Cultural Festival with Week-Long Events

25 September 2024

Maitland’s annual Riverlights Festival, the city’s signature cultural celebration, is set to return bigger and brighter than ever. This year, the festivities will kick off early, starting on Tuesday, 8 October 2024, with an exciting lineup of workshops, performances, and community events leading up to the main festival day on Saturday, 12 October 2024.

The week-long celebration will offer locals and visitors a chance to immerse themselves in Maitland’s diverse cultural heritage through interactive events like lantern-making, language lessons, and traditional Aboriginal weaving workshops. Maitland City Council’s Coordinator of City Events and Activation, Adam Franks, expressed enthusiasm about this year’s program.

“We’re thrilled to begin the week with a variety of activities that showcase the multicultural spirit of our community,” Franks said. “Our exclusive dining event featuring Riverlights Ambassador Adam Liaw on Friday, 11 October, will give attendees a taste of the flavours they can expect during the main festival.”

Riverlights will culminate in a grand finale on Saturday, 12 October, with a vibrant showcase of over 40 cultures at the Cultural Villages, along with performances on the World Stage and a live cooking demonstration by Adam Liaw at the Global Kitchen. The evening will close with a mesmerising lantern flotilla on the Hunter River, followed by a light show and live entertainment.

For those looking to take part in the festivities before the main event, the week’s program includes a wide variety of free and ticketed activities:

Tuesday, 8 October: Lantern-making at Maitland Regional Art Gallery, an Indonesian language lesson at East Maitland Library, and traditional Aboriginal weaving at The Levee.
Wednesday, 9 October: West African drum and dance workshop, Around the World Trivia, and the start of a dynamic lighting installation at The Riverlink Building.
Thursday, 10 October: Cultural sharing through the Palm Candle Dance and a ticketed foreign movie night at Maitland Reading Cinema.
Friday, 11 October: The highly anticipated Culinary Journey with Adam Liaw at Maitland Town Hall.

As the region gears up for one of its most vibrant annual events, visitors are encouraged to book early for workshops and ticketed experiences. For full event details and to secure your spot, visit the official website at maitlandriverlights.com.au.

This year’s Riverlights Festival is supported by Destination NSW and Multicultural NSW through the 2023-2024 Stronger Together Major Festival Local Council Grants.

Event Highlights:

Date: Tuesday, 8 October – Saturday, 12 October 2024
Location: Various venues across Maitland
Key Events: Cultural performances, interactive workshops, and the lantern flotilla on the Hunter River

Don’t miss your chance to experience Maitland’s cultural richness in this exciting week of festivities!