Darwin Entertainment

Darwin has a variety of options from 24-hour nightclubs to Irish bars and outback-style Aussie pubs to cabaret shows, which ensure that your nights will be equally as eventful as your days in the city. There is also a host of venues featuring a variety of national and international performers, who will treat you to anything from comedy to opera singing. If you find you’re not spending enough of your money at the various pubs and clubs throughout the city, why not head to the casino and try your luck at Roulette, Black Jack and the like.

Nightlife

The cafés and restaurants of Cullen Bay Marina are a good place to be by day or at night, but especially for dry season sunsets. If it's Thursday, the place to be is the Mindil Beach Sunset Market. Mitchell street in the city is Darwin’s main nightlife precinct, but there are also other spots in the CBD and many areas out in the suburbs. It is not that hard to get a drink in Darwin, as the city lives for beer. As for the best nightclubs, don’t expect to get in dressed in the typical Northern Territory dress of thongs (flip-flops), stubbies (shorts) and a singlet (vest).

Theatre and music

Performing for the Territory, Darwin Theatre Company is one of Australia's oldest theatre companies, providing a mix of new works and contemporary adaptations of classics. To catch the latest films, go to the Cinema Complex on Mitchell street. If you are looking for something different, visit the Darwin Film Society at Bullocky Point; they also run the Deckchair Cinema during the dry season, where you can relax and enjoy films outdoors. Many of the city’s pubs and bars put on live bands most evenings. More famous acts from the rest of Australia usually perform at Discovery disco.

Festivals

There are a number of annual festivals that are unique to the city, with highlights including:

• Chinese New Year is marked by street and in-house (family) celebrations on this auspicious occasion, and visitors can see lion dances, street parades and other exciting activities (January/February).
• The Darwin Festival lets visitors experience Darwin’s fantastic outdoor lifestyle and warm, tropical days and nights at a unique festival celebrating Darwin, its multicultural flavour and Asian connections. The Darwin Festival, a vibrant arts and cultural event, is held over 18 days in the last two and half weeks of August every year.
• Territory Day is a chance for Territorians to celebrate their achievements and look forward to the future. The Territorian and Young Territorian of the Year Awards are presented on the day and celebrations begin with the raising of the Northern Territory flag by members of the Australian Defence Force. The celebrations take place at various locations throughout Darwin (July).
• The Darwin Cup Carnival, held at the Fannie Bay Racecourse, extends over a four-week period and features eight fabulous days of horseracing. A featured event of the carnival is the Carlton Draught Darwin Cup, a race which attracts participants from throughout Australia (July/August).