The 4 Islands Multi Arts Festival offers a fabulous line up of arts, music, sailing, food and family fun across the Macleay, Karragarra, Russell and Lamb islands until September 4.
The stretch of water between Karragarra Island and Pininpinin Point on Macleay Island is the venue for the festival’s Off the Beach Sailing Regatta, starting from the Karragarra Foreshore at 10am on Saturday, September 3.
The regatta is open to all categories of sailboards, mono and multi hulls from sabots to 18 foot hobbies. Course details will be decided by face committee on the day and handicaps will be according to an Y.A revised handicap system. Entries should be forwarded to Tingira Boat Club, Karragarra Yacht Club or Sandy Beach Sailing Club. Trophies will be awarded for Mono and Multi Hull Divisions in Over the Line and handicap results.
This year’s festival theme is a celebration of art, culture, language, music and people coming together to enrich the four Islands for future generations.
The Cultural and Multi-Arts program is packed with activities for all ages with Family Fun Days on each Island, live music performances, 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.
The closing ceremony featuring the Yulu-Burri-Ba Minjerribah Dance Troupe and the Straddie Island Singers will be staged at 2pm on Sunday, September 4 at Jock Kennedy Park, Russell Island.
Macleay Island Arts Complex presents the Yulu-Burri-Ba Exhibition which will showcase aboriginal art by the Yulu-Burri-Ba Dance Troupes and local artists and will be open to public for the two festival weekends from 10am to 3pm.
On Sunday, August 28, there will be entertainment at Pub Paradise, Macleay Island 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. Their style is unique and quirky, reflecting the band’s vibrant personalities.
On Saturday, September 3, Lamb Island will be hosting the Family Fun Day at the Lamb Island Recreational Club from 8am to 2pm. Start the day weaving your way through at the market, craft and food stalls. There will be plenty of activities for all including face painting and the local musicians will be there to entertain you while you sample some of the delicious food available.
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 will headline the 4 Islands Festival Concert, at Macleay Island Community Centre, on Saturday September 3 from 7pm to 9pm. 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.
The 4 Islands Multi- Arts Festival sponsors and partners inlcude Australian Government-Regional Arts Fund, Queensland Government, Redland City Council, Redarts, Quandamooka Festival, Macleay Island Tingara Boat Club, Macleay Island Bowls Club – “Club Macleay”, Macleay Island Golf Club, Paradise Pub, Macleay Island Art Complex, Macleay Island Lions Club, Russell Island RSL, Lamb Island Recreational Club, Karragarra Yacht Club, Bay Island Getaway, Stradbroke Island Ferries, Binary Music, Pretty Produce and the SMBI Food Growers Group.
For more 4 Islands Festival 2016 information visit: www.4islandsfestival.com.au