Two Weeks Of Wonder, Colour & Culture - Mackay Festival Of Arts Set To Dazzle In July

Photo source: Mackay Festivals (Facebook)

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Two Weeks Of Festival Fun For The Whole Family In July

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Colour, movement and ancient storytelling will collide under the open sky when the 2026 Mackay Festival of Arts begins on July 4th with an Indigenous-led contemporary circus spectacular. 

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Living Sculptures: How the Birds Got Their Colours is created by ARC Circus Co in collaboration with Luther Cora and Yugambeh Aboriginal Dancers.

Mayor Greg Williamson said the first fortnight of the 2026 Mackay Festival of Arts aligns with the school holidays, providing a wide range of events for the whole family to enjoy.

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“How the Birds Got Their Colours is a fantastic family-friendly show that will be held in our beautiful Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens,” Mayor Williamson said.

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“The show celebrates diversity, identity and shared humanity through song, dance and spectacular acrobatics,” he said.

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Also featured in the Mackay Festival of Arts’ opening weeks is the immersive family experience, Sea of Light.

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“This beautiful show allows kids and adults alike to use a UV torch as a paintbrush and paint or stencil a voyage that will leave glowing paths of light in their wake,” Mayor Williamson said.

“Sea of Light artworks have been created by Aboriginal contemporary visual artist Elizabeth Close and are painted in light across the sea floor, reflecting the connection between land, sea, earth and water,” he said.

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Sea of Light will be on Wednesday 8^th July to Saturday 11^th July, at the MECC Plenary Halls.

Another great show, just for the adults, will be the hilarious comedy showcase Late Nite PowerPoint.

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Following sell-out seasons at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Adelaide Fringe, this show features five comedians performing five different PowerPoints in a show that’s begging for technical difficulties.

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The Showcase will be on at Farview Tavern on Friday 10^th July and at Club Northern Beaches on Saturday 11^th July.

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Mackay Festival of Arts will also provide the following activities:

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• On July 1^st DBCT Kids’ Theatre Season Fractured Fairy Tales, where classic stories have been tipped upside down and are all in a muddle at the MECC Auditorium.

• On July 4^th Malta’s culinary heritage will take the spotlight in Malta on a Plate at the Vintage Farmhouse Kitchen, Marian.

• On July 6^th Cirque Nouvelle will thrill the whole family with acrobatics, juggling, aerials, balancing and jaw-dropping feats at the MECC Auditorium.

• On July 10^th  the NAIDOC Street Parade and Family Fun Day will again celebrate culture, community and connection at Queens Park.

• On July 11^th all the flare of the Mackay Scottish Bluewater Fling will return to the Bluewater Quay.

• Plus, so much more.

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The second half of the festival will also be jam-packed with amazing events, including crowd favourites Wisely Wine and Food Day, Daly Bay Illuminate, Whitsunday Wealth Festival Hub and the Friends of the MECC Jazz Brunch.

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For more information on the full festival program, visit ourmackay.com.au/festivals

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