The Gulf Frontier Days festival has had to be moved from Doomadgee to Burketown at late notice due to uncompleted construction work.
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Organisers said the inaugural festival on from August 16 to 20 has had to be moved due to circumstances out of thier control.
“The Doomadgee rodeo and festival grounds upgrade work has not been completed in time for us to hold The Gulf Country Frontier Days Festival in Doomadgee, as planned,” organisers said in a statement.
“Festival management has made the decision to move this year’s event down the road to Burketown, the tribal lands of the Gangalidda peoples.”
Organisers said they were very excited about this move and want people to share the experience of the first ever Gulf Country Frontier Days Festival and the first ever Indigenous Rodeo Championships in Australia.
Festival CEO and artistic director Alec Doomadgee said they had announced new additions to the music program.
“Aboriginal singer/songwriter Glenn Skuthorpe who is on the road promoting his new album ‘See My World’ will be there as will Australian Award winning female artist Catherine Brit and Sunshine coast Electric Dreamtime Roots music band OKA,” Mr Doomadgee said.
“Also direct from the Gulf Country communities, local Doomadgee Band Marbuntha Band, Spilt Image from Normanton and Bulldust out of Mount Isa.”
Mr Doomadgee said the Pow Wow dancers and singers from the Lakota Nations of South Dakota would be there and a Navajo champion fancy dancer.
“Also among the group is the current Miss Native USA Sarah Ortegon whom will dance and be a special guest judge for the Indigenous Rodeo Queen and Rodeo Princess pageants,” he said.
“Our Torres Strait Island brothers and sisters from the dance group Mul Kiai will be making the long trek to mesmerise the audiences with their unique dance styles, music and dance outfits while the Toowoomba mob will be represented by Winangali Fusion Dance group.”