The WA Government has announced new homegrown event EverNow to celebrate Western Australia’s Indigenous culture and heritage in October.
EverNow has been developed by Perth Festival and will be held across a number of locations including the Supreme Court Gardens, Perth’s Government House Gardens and Kings Park.
Kings Park will be home to a reimagining of light festival Boorna Waanginy: The Trees Speak, which attracted 300,000 people when it opened Perth Festival in 2017 and 2019.
The Supreme Court Gardens will play host to Song Circle, a live performance and celebration of Noongar song and dance, while Government House Gardens will also be opened to the public as it is transformed into Fire Gardens, a dreamscape of leaping flames, shadow and wonder.
EverNow will run for an initial two years, with the intention for the event to become an annual staple on WA’s major events calendar.
“This brand new homegrown event will put Western Australia on the map, not only nationally, but internationally, as EverNow grows year on year,” said Premier Roger Cook.
“The festival program has been carefully crafted to engage the senses and celebrate our State’s rich Aboriginal culture and breathtaking nature, while attracting visitors from far and wide.”
Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said EverNow will add a new dimension to the state’s major events calendar.
“We want to make sure there is a reason to visit Western Australia every month and every season and that means building a strong calendar of events that offer something for everyone,” she said.
Tourism Council WA also welcomed the announcement, with CEO Evan Hall saying the state needed new events to grow tourism.
“We welcome the vision for tourism outlined by today, and particularly the focus on facilitating investment in new tourism accommodation and attractions,” he said.
EverNow will run from 4-9 October.
