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Writer's pictureBen Tirebuck, Editor

Want a week of festival?

Updated: Sep 4, 2023

✦ Kids Workshops & Family Shows, Untamed Cabaret After Dark, Food Trucks & a Festival Bar!


Then roll-up to the TORTUGA Festival at Westport Park, Port Macquarie presented by The Original Good Time Merchants, from the 10th to 19th June 2022.


What is the Tortuga Festival?


A daring New Arts Festival set to hit Port Macquarie over the June public holiday. The festival has an incredible line up of circus, music, cabaret and comedy shows that will take place in the Aurora Spiegeltent. A beautiful art-deco venue, the Aurora Spiegeltent is originally from the Netherlands, and is approximately 100 years old.



Audiences can expect a variety of performances including the multi award winning Head First Acrobats and an evening of music with the darling of ABC Jazz (and formerly of Playschool fame), Monica Trapaga.


Showcasing high-energy, high quality acts from touring and regional artists Tortuga will be a celebratory experience for the community that will provide locals and visitors with the chance to come together, try out some circus skills through Tortuga's workshop programme and be inspired by the finest in Australian circus, comedy and cabaret.


Headline Performers


Monica Trapaga won the nation's hearts on our screens with Play School, and since then has had a stellar thirty year performing career.


Her true love, however, is jazz. From her first stint with her brother Ignatius Jones in “Pardon Me Boys” in 1985, to her own very successful band Monica and the Moochers, she has performed and recorded with her own Cuban Bands, Big Bands, and various Jazz Quartets.


Her first national tour was with James Morrison, Don Burrows and Bob Bernard and launched her career in the Jazz world where she is in her element. She is now a regular guest host on “The Dinner Track” on ABC Jazz.


Head First Acrobats is a multi-award-winning entertainment company. Based in Melbourne, they are regulars on the international touring circuit, and specialise in high-skill, high-octane acrobatic entertainment.


Their new flagship show, ‘Railed’ debuted at Perth FRINGE WORLD in 2019, and is a riotous high-energy comedy Western that takes no prisoners, sets the bar on fire, and hightails out of town leaving a trail of broken hearts in its wake.



Karen From Finance recently placed as one of the top 4 finalists in the reality-tv hit show RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under which took to international airwaves in May 2021. Karen recently completed a UK tour of the West-End smash hit ‘Death Drop’ and is now currently touring her award-winning debut solo comedy ‘Out Of Office’ to raving audiences all around the world! She has been touring the world for many years, both as a solo artist and in ensemble productions, headlining tours around Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the UK and USA.



And featuring in the cabaret shows alongside these artists are:


Elle Diablo is a sword swallower, sideshow performer, aerialist and burlesque artist. Elle has toured nationally and internationally as a solo artist and with the Australian punk sideshow The Syndicate.



A blur of dynamic, fierce and powerful energy. Imagine if Sailor Moon, Lucille Ball and Tank Girl were combined, rolled in a pile of sequins, doused in vodka and struck with fifty thousand volts… you’d get somewhere close to Lilikoi.



She has hypnotised audiences from London to New York, Buenos Aires to… Wollongong with her heart-breaking hip-shaking hula-hooping and unparalleled comic timing.



In addition to the show programme there will be outdoor, roving performances and community workshops. During show times there will be fresh fairy floss, popcorn, food trucks, coffee, hot drinks and soft drinks available alongside the Brookvale Union Festival Bar.


Aiming to be as sustainable as possible, festival goers are asked to BYO water bottles and use the recycling facilities provided onsite.


The festival is curated and produced by local boy done good and 13 times Guinness world record holder Gordo Gamsby


Gordo has travelled the world performing in the circus as a strongman and sword swallower. He met his circus performing wife, Lucy Frost (originally from the UK) whilst performing in Western Australia six years ago.


They travelled the world performing and they have settled back in Port Macquarie and now have a son, Spike (aged 2). They want to share the fantastic experiences they have had at international, major arts festivals with the community on the Mid North Coast.



GET YOUR TICKETS NOW


Ticket prices from $40 for adult performances and from $25 for family shows from www.tortugafestival.com.au or follow the Festival on social media @tortugaportmacquarie to keep updated with programme announcements and the latest news.


Social media links:

@tortugaportmacquarie on instagram and Facebook



 

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