4 Island Festival 2016

The 4 Islands Multi Arts Festival is all set to showcase a fabulous line up of arts, music food and family fun across the 4 Southern Bay Islands, Macleay, Karragarra, Russell and Lamb from 26th August to the 4th September 2016. The creators of this event, Steve Morgan and Bob Turner, along with their Festival committee members, Carolyn Hoernel and Tamika Garay are confident that this year's 4 Island Festival will again entertain right across the Four Bay Islands. Steve Morgan, told The Friendly Bay Islander: We have many of the aspects of last year's 4 Islands Festival in place, and we are adding more events and attractions this year. A bonus this year is that the event will feature the second stage of the Girt by Sea Sculpture Exhibition which is Australia's richest sculpture event. It comes with a stunning $55.000 in prize money, and will follow on from an earlier Girt by Sea Sculpture event that was held in June this year. This year's Festival theme is the Celebration of Art, Culture, Language, Music and People coming together to enrich the 4 Islands future generations. The Festival will deliver a Cultural and Multi-Arts Program packed with activities for all ages, including Opening and Closing Ceremonies featuring Aboriginal song and dance. There will be live music performances, visual arts exhibitions, face painting, children's workshops, Aboriginal dance and weaving workshops and festival market, craft and food stalls. The festival kicks off with an Aboriginal Art Exhibition Opening at the Macleay Island Art Complex on Friday the 26th August, 11am to 3pm. This is a great opportunity for Islanders and visitors to view art work by the Quandamooka people, many of whom will be performing Aboriginal Song and Dance throughout the festival. Macleay Island Art Complex: macleayislandarts.org.au/ After the Art exhibition you can head over to the Macleay Island Bowls Club for the James Blundell Concert starting at 6pm. The club serves good food and has a full service bar operating during the concert. James Blundell performed as the head lining act at last year's 4 Island Festival and I am sure the locals will be excited that he is back this year to give a great concert. For concert information visit: www.macleayislandbowlsclub.... On Saturday 27th August, the Macleay Island Family Fun Day packed with activities for all ages will be held at Macleay Island Community Centre from 9am to 3pm. There will be market, craft and food stalls organized by the Lions Club Macleay Island. For the kids there will be face painting and entertainment as well as some great workshops including the paint, play and perform on the ukulele workshop, hosted by Karen Henderson from Binary Music. Live Music will entertain throughout the day with local musicians and the Dukes of Uke & Redland City Ukes (RCU) combined ukulele group. After the great day family fun day, head over to the Macleay Island Tingara Boat Club for dinner, drinks and entertainment from 6pm to 10pm. The Tingara Boat Club is proud to present the 4 Island Festival Opening Ceremony, featuring Aboriginal Song and Dance performance by the Yullu-Burri- Ba Wynnum Dance troupe, a story telling session about the 4 Islands, by an Quandamooka Elder. Macleay Island Tingara Boat Club www.tingiraboatclub.com/ Sunday the 28th August, the Karragarra Family Fun day takes place on the Karragarra foreshore from 9am to 2pm. There will be a great line up of entertainment starting with an Aboriginal Song and Dance performance by the Yullu-Burri- Ba Wynnum Dance troupe and then the Q Crew, Aboriginal Hip Hop dancers from Stradbroke Island-Minjerribah, will perform there energetic dance show. The day's program will include market, craft and food stalls, face-painting and performances by local musicians. Head back over to Macleay Island to enjoy the afternoon of great entertainment at Paradise Pub from 3pm to 6pm. The Mad Tones, a band from Brisbane will be playing there feel good tunes that are sure to make everybody want to get up and dance while watching the sunset over the bay, a perfect end to the first weekend of the festival. On Saturday the 3rd September, lamb Island will be hosting the Family Fun Day at the Lamb Island Recreational Club from 9am to 2pm. Start the day weaving your way through at the market, craft and food stalls. There will be plenty of fun activities for the children on offer including face painting and the local musicians will be there to entertain you while you sample some of the delicious food available. Then later that evening at the Macleay Island Community Centre from 7pm to 9pm, the 4 Island Festival Concert will present a fabulous show featuring world music and dance that is set to take you on a journey across cultures and generations. With the performers including, the Veranda Chix singing beautiful songs in Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and PNG Languages. The Red Rhythm Collective a percussion ensemble will be adding to the world music mix playing Brazilian and Cuban rhythms. There will be great food available and a bar operating for this event. On Sunday the 4th September, the Family Fun Day will take place on Russell Island at Jock Kennedy Park from 9am to 4pm. The program will include live music by the local musicians, Aboriginal dance and weaving workshops, Circus performers, face painting and market, craft and food stalls. Don't miss the fantastic Closing Ceremony at 3pm to conclude this year's 4 Island Festival, featuring the Yulu-Bari-Ba Minjerribah Dance Troupe and the Straddie Island Singers. The 4 Island Multi- Arts Festival is proudly sponsored by Australian Government-Regional Arts Fund, Queensland Government, Redland City Council, Redarts, Macleay Island Tingara Boat Club, Macleay Island Bowls Club, Macleay Island Golf Club, Paradise Pub, Macleay Island Art Complex, Macleay Island Lions Club, Russell Island RSL, Lamb Island Recreational Club, Karragarra Yacht Club, Stradbroke Island Ferries, Binary Music. Keep up to date and find where to buy tickets, market stall applications and more with website www.4islandsfestival.com.au See you there!