Food, music, dance and culture will all be celebrated when Maitland comes alive with its annual Riverlights Festival this weekend. 

The festival will culminate with the traditional celebration from noon to 9pm on Saturday 7 October, which will see Maitland’s shopping precinct, The Levee, transformed into a bustling world village, with dance workshops, cooking demonstrations, culinary treats from across the world, language lessons, music, lantern making, dynamic lighting and roving entertainment.

Eventgoers can pick up their cultural passport when they arrive at the festival and collect stamps at each of the cultural hubs to experience food, customs and language firsthand.

And, of course, no Riverlights Festival would be complete without the show-stopping procession finale and lantern flotilla on Saturday night.

The five-day festival celebrating the city’s multiculturalism will this year welcome two big names to its itinerary. 

Culinary maestro Adam Liaw will take centre stage on Saturday, bringing flavour to the festival. 

The former Masterchef Australia winner has an extensive resume that includes writer, broadcaster, television host and UNICEF Australia’s National Ambassador for Nutrition. 

While Liaw brings the taste, The Bamboos will bring the sound. 

The soulful powerhouses, hailing from Melbourne and founded in 2000, are set to mesmerise the Riverlights audience with their exceptional nine-piece ensemble, featuring the extraordinary vocals of Kylie Auldist.

They’ve graced the stages of renowned festivals such as Splendour in The Grass, Meredith, Bluesfest, WOMADelaide and Falls Festival, and will be headlining the Riverlights Stage on the banks of the Hunter River, taking the stage at 7pm on Saturday.  

The all-ages, family-friendly festival also promises a plethora of food options. 

Other activities include a drumming workshop, lantern making, cultural games, international films, language, fire dancing, and roving performers. 

The full event program for Saturday 7 October includes:

• Lantern making to contribute to the lantern flotilla | Noon to 7pm
• World stage | Noon to 7pm
• Language lounge | Noon to 7.30pm
• Riverlights stage | Noon to 8pm
• Cultural villages and Riverlights Cultural Passport| Noon to 9pm
• Riverlights eatery | Noon to 9pm
• Groove fusion | 1pm to 7.45pm
• Finale precision from the world stage to the riverbank | 7.45pm to 8pm
• Global kitchen | 2pm to 7pm
• Riverlights finale and lantern flotilla | 8.15pm to 8.45pm
• Fire dancing | 6.45pm to 7pm and 8pm to 8.15pm
• Dance workshops | 1.30pm to 2.15pm & 2.30pm to 3.15pm & 3.30pm to 4.15pm | bookings required

Visit www.maitlandriverlights.com.au for all event updates and program details. 

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