Revel in multicultural delights and global offerings at Maitland Riverlights.
This festival celebrates diversity and activates all the senses as you experience different cultures from around the world. You can see the traditional costumes, taste delicacies and feel the rhythm of intercontinental music right through The Levee Central Maitland. Maitland Riverlights is a global gateway with something for the whole family to enjoy. It takes place on Saturday 12 October but the fun kicks off in the week leading up to the main event.
The program for this year is exceptional, with renowned cook, tv host and author Adam Liaw as the 2024 Ambassador. After hosting a ticketed dinner on the Friday night, he will be popping up around the main event, even giving demonstrations at the Global Kitchen. This space provides a great opportunity to broaden your cooking repertoire. The stage will feature expert presenters sharing their cooking tips and tricks.
The feast of the senses continues at the cultural village, an array of stalls exploring cultural traditions, art and games. The Riverlights Cultural Passport is your travel guide as you collect a stamp from each stall you visit delighting in the global offerings.
A highlight for me is always the grand finale of the festival on Saturday evening. A community lantern parade makes its way through The Levee culminating in a lantern flotilla on the Hunter River. This will feature stories, dance and artworks created with the local community groups seen throughout the festival. There will also be a dazzling light show on the riverbank with Latin American inspired folktronic act Amaru Tribe headlining the Riverlights Stage. This is such a magical moment both on and by the river. It’s not to be missed.
There is plenty to do in the lead up to the festival too with workshops, performances, classes, games, demonstrations and films. You can get creative and make lanterns for the grand finale flotilla and move your body to Latin and world beats with the Aquatic Vibes exercise program. Challenge yourself by learning to play fun games from around the globe at the Cultural Game Night and grab a box of popcorn for the Foreign Movie Night featuring the acclaimed film Monster.
If your calendar isn’t already busting with things to do there are plenty of cultural experiences to be had in Maitland all year round. Maitland Regional Art Gallery is a must visit with culturally diverse exhibitions, artists and programming. Also on High Street you’ll find Studio Amsterdam, this part gallery, part artist studio showcases the work of Patricia Van Lubeck. Van Lubeck is also responsible for The New One a massive mural at Bourke Street Link that welcomes visitors to The Levee. It represents the Maitland community’s friendliness by capturing the moment a newcomer arrives, something this Dutch artist has experienced firsthand.
Then there’s the culinary delights of Maitland which I think is one of the best ways to connect with culture. The Levee is bursting with options with an array of cuisines to explore. Sudania Café and Restaurant serves Sudanese and Middle Eastern fare from breakfast through to dinner. A spice hit of fresh flavours engulfs the dishes with the famous Sudanese hospitality on display whenever I visit. A little further down High Street you can find El Chapos, a taqueria and cocktail bar with bold and vibrant interiors as welcoming as the smell of Mexican food that hits you as you walk through the doors. There’s also a new kid on the block, The Indian Town, which has everyone’s mouth watering. It’s the authentic flavours of India that we know and love set within exquisite interiors creating an unforgettable experience.
The Italian delights of Maitland are some of the best around, with Ometto Pizza Bar being a stand out. Their woodfired pizzas, particularly the Taleggio e Porcini, are wonderfully authentic and their lasagnes also don’t disappoint. Then there’s the family owned Fratelli Roma which is a dining delight. You can relax in their elegant interiors and feast on freshly made handmade gnocchi. If you want to see a fabulous fusion of cultures there’s also Morpeth Woodfire Pizzas and Indian Delicacies. With pizza flavours that include paneer and butter chicken adventurous foodies will have a field day enjoying this amalgamation of flavours. You can finish off your meal with the sweet treat of Jubilo Gelato with its abundant flavours, my favourite is pistachio and tiramisu. It’s all my Italian travels come to life in one cone with this Maitland made gelato.
Maitland meets the world and puts the spotlight on the full range of its multicultural community at Maitland Riverlights. But no matter what time of year you visit, you’re sure to experience culinary and cultural sensations in this little city with a big heart on the banks of the Hunter River.
