Top Picks of the 2017 Horizon Festival of Arts and Culture

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Fri 25 Aug 2017 - Sun 03 Sep 2017

Sunshine Coast, are we in for a treat! Get ready to celebrate ten art-fuelled days with more than two hundred events to be held across the Sunshine Coast during the Horizon Festival of Arts and Culture. What an incredible way to welcome in the Spring and warmer weather. This is only the second year that Horizon Festival is being held but it is rapidly becoming one of the signature multi-arts festivals for the Sunshine Coast Region. In 2016 35,000 people attended the Horizon Festival and with so many more events on for this year, 2017 is sure to be a resounding success.



The Festival programme has been organised so that visitors can enjoy the whole region of the Sunshine Coast, from the Hinterland to the coast whilst getting the opportunity to appreciate unique art experiences. Some events are ticketed, whilst others are FREE. The following events are my top picks of what we can expect to enjoy over the ten days of the Horizon Festival of Arts and Culture.

**Event: William Close and the Earth Harp Collective
Where: Kings Beach Amphitheatre, Caloundra
When: Friday 25 August 2017 at 6.00pm and 8.00pm
FREE EVENT**



The Horizon Festival will kick off with panache with two FREE concert spectacles from William Close and the Earth Harp Collective in collaboration with local Sunshine Coast musicians and performers.

During the concert, the body of The Earth Harp will rest on the stage and twenty-four harp strings will travel across the length of Kings Beach Amphitheatre, over the audience, transforming the venue into a massive musical instrument.

The Earth Harp is the largest stringed instrument in the world. It was developed by William Close in 1999 and has been installed in a variety of places around the world - The Strings have stretched to the top of the Seattle Space needle; to Temples in Vietnam; in the famous Grand Theatre of Macau; and The Colosseum in Rome. For the first time ever Australians have the opportunity to experience this humungous Harp, for the premiere event of the Horizon Festival of Arts and Culture.



William Close and the Earth Harp Collective is a FREE event not to be missed. Please register your interest here. Please note no entry ticket is required but by registering your interest, you will receive event updates including important information.

NB Bring a blanket to sit on. No glass or alcohol will be permitted in the Amphitheatre, but food and drinks will be available for purchase.

**Event: Architects of Air Arboria Luminarium
Where: University of Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
When: Friday 25 August to Sunday 3 September 2017
Weekdays: 11.00am to 5.00pm
Weekends: 9.00am to 5.00pm
FREE EVENT**



Architects of Air Arboria Luminarium is definitely a highlight of the 2017 Horizon Festival programme. A monumental walk-in sculpture that is dedicated to the theme of 'trees' and promises to generate a sense of awe at the sensational use of light and colour.

Visitors will get to move through labyrinthine tunnels and cavernous domes, immersed in a changing world of colour whilst encountering evocative splashes and reflections as they spill across the curved walls, creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Limited FREE tickets available - please click here to book.

**Event: Art St Eumundi
When: Friday 25 August to Sunday 27 August 2017**

Over this weekend in Eumundi, visitors will get the opportunity to see the Wearable Art Competition, showcasing five categories of design; the Deadly Collective Market Space of Indigenous art; stalls, music and workshops. There are more than twenty-five events happening in Eumundi. Please see bottom of article for link to full listings of Events for Art St Eumundi.

**Event: Art St Maleny and Maleny Music Festival
When: Friday 1 September to Sunday 3 September 2017**



Art St Maleny is bringing art into public spaces through local cafes, parks and venues, whilst presenting an excellent programme of events, music, food, workshops and art.

Wander through the Forest Art Trail; Lindsay Muir; Rust and Lace; Arts Connect and Maleny in Bloom exhibitions or join a workshop on journalling or slam poetry. Look out for the Sweet Chilli Choir as well as the accordion-tuba duo Rubatuba who will be providing the entertainment. With a full programme of over thirty events at Art St Maleny, it's going to be a jam-packed weekend.



Maleny Showgrounds will be hosting the 6th Maleny Music Festival on the weekend of Friday 1 September to Sunday 3 September, showcasing a diverse range of local and international artists. This family-friendly music festival offers something for everybody, with childrens' programmes, concerts, comedy, dance, street performers, food and artisan vendors. Three whole days of fun under the sun at the #nogo ">Maleny Music Festival 2017. Please click here for the Main Programme and click here for the Childrens' Programme. You can purchase your tickets to the Maleny Music Festival here. On-site camping is available.

**Event: Maroochy Music & Visual Arts Festival
Where: Former Horton Park Golf Course, Maroochydore CBD
When: Saturday 26 August 2017**



Presented by Triple J , the 18 plus Maroochy Music & Visual Arts Festival brings you the hottest Australian bands on one stage! A festival celebrating contemporary music and visual arts right in the heart of the beautiful Sunshine Coast.

To see the incredible line-up of artists, please click here. First and second release tickets have already been sold out, but third release tickets are still available - please click here to get your tickets to make sure you don't miss out on this superb Music and Visual Arts Festival.

**Event: GooseChase
Where: An interactive way to experience the Festival's 200 events
When: 18 August to 3 September 2017**



GooseChase is an interactive scavenger hunt platform for everybody! With in-app rankings and photo feeds, it's daring, crazy and highly addictive.

Horizon Festival's GooseChase is offering players the opportunity to create teams or to play solo and to really get creative exploring the arts and culture within the Sunshine Coast Region. Spot prizes will be awarded along the way, many of which are aligned with particular missions. The team with the most points (extra points are awarded for creativity), will receive the major prize package which includes a trip for four to Adelaide Fringe Festival 2018.

For frequently asked questions and more information on how to get involved with GooseChase, which is all about having fun and scavenger hunting your way to victory, please click here; and to download the App - available for Apple and Android devices, please click each relevant link.

**Event: Vincent - the man behind the brush
Where: The Events Centre, Caloundra
When: Saturday 2 September 2017 at 7.30pm**



A spectacularly moving dance theatre piece, created by Melissa Lanham - originally from the Sunshine Coast - tells the story about the man behind the brush, Vincent van Gogh. This professional dance work conveys the life of Vincent van Gogh; his relationship with his brother Theo and his own internal struggle of inner self and self-expression and his constant battle with his inner psyche.

Vincent premiered at the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival to rave reviews and awards including 'Best Dance Weekly', and for the first time ever the Sunshine Coast now have the opportunity to see this sensational theatre work at The Events Centre in Caloundra, as part of the Horizon Festival of Arts and Culture.

To read more about this incredible award-winning show with its theatrics, dance, story telling and technical brilliance, please click here.

The vibrant five-star reviewed show of Vincent is on for one night only and you can purchase your tickets online here - a show not to be missed!

**Event: Dawn Awakening
Where: Stumers Creek, Stumers Creek Road, Coolum Beach
When: Sunday 3 September 2017 5.00am start
FREE EVENT**



Stumers Creek in Coolum is playing centre stage for the Horizon Festival's grand finale - Dawn Awakening - a place of gathering, remembering, dreaming and ritual.

Past, present and future is to be celebrated through the awakening of a new dawn, honouring First National people through music, dance, song and spoken words. The Gubbi Gubbi Dance Troupe will be featured plus visual art installations and projections. This fantastic event will be on the beach, so please bring a rug or beach mat to sit on. Coffee and bush foods will be available for purchase. For more information on the Horizon finale, please click here.

To view ALL events, please click here. To view ALL artists, please click here.

As I said, Sunny Coasters, we are in for ten spectacular days of everything Arts, Music and Culture and what better way to welcome in Spring. I would suggest getting out those calendars to bookmark all the extraordinary events you would like to attend… as I am about to do myself - I'm so excited, I can't wait!

Please click here for Horizon Festival's list of partners for this great Festival.

#art
#caloundra
#coolum_beach
#cultural_events
#eumundi
#festivals
#maleny
#maroochydore
#music
#sippy_downs
#sunshine_coast_surrounds
#unusual_events
#august
!date 25/08/2017 -- 03/09/2017
%wnsunshinecoast