Get ready for a burst of colour, creativity, and culture, as the inaugural Creative Streets Festival prepares to transform the heart of Armidale later this month.
From Friday 17 October to Sunday 9 November, the CBD will come alive with art, music, ideas, and community, with this year’s theme, AMPLIFY, encouraging everyone to turn up the volume on creativity and connection.
The festival’s opening night promises to be a showstopper, with headline performances and stunning visual experiences setting the tone for three weeks of celebration. Renowned for their breathtaking aerial work, Big Top Entertainment will headline with a gravity-defying display featuring silken aerial skills, daring trapeze acts, dazzling hoop routines, and a magical fire and illumination show.
Music lovers will be treated to a powerful line-up on the main stage, led by Amaru Tribe, whose folktronica collective blends traditional Latin American sounds with contemporary beats. They’ll be joined by modern folk duo The Maes and award-winning ABC recording artist Sharny Russell.
As the music plays, the city itself will become a canvas. A vibrant series of murals will be brought to life across the CBD, including a live mural by Janne Birker (Krimsone) along the Burger Bulls wall on Marsh Street. Kitsune Jolene will join Krimsone in creating a vivid, immersive piece celebrating harmony with nature, local identity, and nostalgic suburban life.
Technology will add another layer to the experience, with East End Mall transformed by New England Event Services and Phosphorus Visuals. Their cutting-edge 3D projection mapping display will illuminate some of Armidale’s iconic buildings with animations, immersive storytelling, and interactive light shows.
The creative spirit will extend to families and young people, with New England Regional Art Museum hosting a hands-on art tent offering activities like popsicle weaving and sparkling suncatchers. Local preschools are also getting involved, decorating colourful banners to be displayed throughout the festival.
Festival-goers will be able to enjoy their favourite venues in new ways, as local pubs and restaurants spill out onto the streets to create a lively alfresco dining hub. Additional food trucks and stalls will join the festivities, adding a diverse mix of flavours to the night.
Armidale Regional Council Mayor Sam Coupland said the event will be an unmissable addition to the region’s cultural calendar.
“The fusion of creative arts, local business, and the closure of one of our main streets, is sure to bring a memorable experience to the region,” said Mayor Coupland.
“This is a prime opportunity for the Armidale region to cement ourselves at the centre of the creative arts scene in the wider region. This will certainly be one not to miss.”
The festival will continue beyond its opening night with more murals, workshops, live music, and Friday night activations, forming part of a packed spring schedule alongside the Black Gully Festival and the New England Garden Festival.
Opening night runs from 5pm to 9.30pm across Marsh Street, East End Mall, Confetti Lane, Bank Lane, and Beardy Street.
For more information visit www.armidale.nsw.gov.au/creativestreets.
Read all the way through to the end of the story? So did lots of other people. Advertise with New England Times to reach New England locals who are interested and engaged. Find out more here.