THE 4 Islands Multi Arts Festival is ready to sail.
It offers a fabulous line up of arts, music, sailing, food and family fun across the Southern Moreton Bay
Islands _ Macleay, Karragarra, Russell and Lamb from August 26 to September 4.
The stretch of water between Karragarra and Pininpinin Point on Macleay is the venue for the 4 Islands Festival “Off the Beach” Sailing Regatta.
It starts from the Karragarra foreshore at 10am on September 3. It is open to all categories of sailboards, mono and multi hulls from sabots to 18ft hobbies. Course details will be decided on the day.
Festival events manager Carolyn Hoernel said entries should be forwarded to Tingira Boat Club, Karragarra Yacht Club or Sandy Beach Sailing Club by August 25.
“Trophies will be awarded for mono and multi hull divisions in over the line and handicap results,’’ she said.
This year’s festival theme is the celebration of art, culture, language, music and people coming together to enrich the islands.
The celebration includes live music, visual arts and sculptural exhibitions, face painting, sailing regatta, children’s workshops, Aboriginal dance and weaving workshops, guided garden tours and festival market, craft and food stalls on each island.
The Macleay Island Tingara Boat Club will host the 4 Islands Festival Opening Ceremony, on Saturday August 27, at 6pm.
Enjoy dinner and drinks while the Yulu-Burri- Ba Wynnum Dance troupe perform and an elder will relate island stories.
The theme will continue with the closing ceremony featuring the Yulu-Burri- Ba Minjerribah Dance Troupe and the Straddie Island Singers, on Sunday September 4 at Russell Island’s Jock Kennedy Park, starting at 2pm.
The Macleay Island Arts Complex presents the Yulu-Burri- Ba Exhibition Opening on Friday August 26 from 11am to 2pm.
On the following day, people can head over to Macleay Island for an afternoon of great entertainment at Pub Paradise from 3pm to 6pm. The Mad Tones, drawing on influences from Jamaican music, Motown and the South Pacific, play an upbeat mix of reggae, ska and soul.
Ms Hoernel said their style was quirky, reflecting the band’s vibrant personalities.
“Mad Tones performers challenge the audience not to dance,’’ she said.
On Saturday, September 3, Lamb Island will host a family fun say at the Lamb Island Recreational Club from 8am to 2pm.
Start the day weaving your way through the market, craft and food stalls. There will be plenty of fun, including face painting and local musicians will be there to entertain while you sample some of the delicious food available.
Make sure you take a guided garden tour around Bulwinkle Farm with Simone and Jurgen, just next door to the Recreation Club.
The Verandah ChiX, a Brisbane-based Seven Piece Female Vocal Ensemble consisting of seven women from different cultural backgrounds, will headline the festival concert, at Macleay Island Community Centre, on Saturday, September 3, 7pm to 9pm.
Veranda ChiX are passionate about maintaining language and culture through music and teach each other songs from their homelands. Songs are sung in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Languages as well as in Bislama (Vanuatu), PNG, French, English, Samoan and other languages within their cultural heritages.
For more 4 Islands Festival information visit: www.4islandsfestival.com.au
