Workshop & Festival Program
The countdown is on!
19-22 June 2026
Dates & Events
Day 1
Araluen Arts Centre, 61 Larapinat Drive, Alice Spring
10am Araluen Arts Centre Galleries
Thank you morning tea and preview of the exhibition for all our fabulous sponsors. Invitation only.
10am – 5pm then 5.30pm - 8.30pm Witchetty’s
Beanie Central opens. More than 8000 beanies for sale, as well as our tea shop, fresh cakes, BBQ and textile demonstrations.
11am-3pm Flying Archies art exhibition. Central Australian Aviation Museum,
6 Memorial Avenue. (Around the corner from Araluen)
11am-2pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Felt Up! Upcycled Felt Jewellery with Maggie Pereyra $70
1pm-4pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Basic Sewing with Lily Ilko $60
6pm – 8pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Get Hooked: Crochet Basics with Billie Barton of Baggins Bags $60
Clay Hand Building with Em Frank $90
5.30pm – 8.30pm Araluen Arts Centre
Gala Opening Night (Sponsored by the Alice Springs Town Council)
Opening of Thank You Thank You Thank You Beanies of Gratitude Exhibition Announcement of the Competition winners, live entertainment TBA
Gallery opens at 6pm
Day 2
Araluen Arts Centre, 61 Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs
9am-10am Beanie Central
****Disability access - On Saturday June 20 from 9am-10am we will open to allow those with a disability to access beanie central - wheelchairs, gofers, walkers, Autism, ADHD, mental illness – anyone who requires space and quiet times.
9am-12pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Coiled Basket Making with Pamela Mills $100
10am-12pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Clay Hand Building with Em Frank $90
10am-2pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Create using Lead Lighting with Miles Dunne $120
10am – 5pm Witchetty’s
Beanie Central opens. More than 8000 beanies for sale, as well as our tea shop, fresh cakes, BBQ and textile demonstrations.
10am – 5pm Araluen Arts Centre Galleries
Thank You Thank You Thank You Beanies of Gratitude Exhibition, National Beanie Competition and retrospective collection of the world’s best beanies of the past 30 years.
10am – 5pm Araluen Arts Centre Foyer
Needle felt a beanie with Indigenous Women of Central Australia Drop-in anytime $50
10am – 5pm Araluen Arts Centre Foyer
Free drop in children’s workshops
10am-12pm Araluen Foyer
Indigenous Basket Weaving – sit with Louise and learn to weave your own basket or earrings.
Cost $80 Phone 0478 254 565 to book
10.30am – Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country.
11am – 2pm Tangentyere Artists Art Centre, 16 Fogarty Street, Alice Springs
Indigenous Jewellery Making We present three generations of the Williams family running a workshop on seed jewellery making featuring hot wiring.
Participants will drink billy tea and eat homemade damper by the fire as they make their jewellery
Cost $100 per person
Booking 08 89514232
11am-1pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Get Hooked: Crochet Basics with Billie Barton of Baggins Bags $60
11am-3pm Flying Archies art exhibition. Central Australian Aviation Museum, 6 Memorial Avenue. (Around the corner from Araluen)
12.00pm– Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country.
1pm-3pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Terracotta Pot Painting with Jane Su-Ming $30
1pm-4pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Explore with Polymer Clay $95
Create a Printmaking Sampler $90
1.30pm – Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country.
2pm Araluen Arts Centre Foyer
Free Beanie Making Crochet workshops ($15 if you need wool and a hook)
2pm-4pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Weave with Raffia with Beck Tyler $90
3.00pm – Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country
10am-2pm Araluen Arts Centre Verandah
Live radio broadcast by 8CCC Community Radio
Day 3
Araluen Arts Centre, 61 Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs
10am-12pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Clay Hand Building with Em Frank $90
10am-2pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Create using Lead Lighting with Miles Dunne $120
10am-4pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Felted Body Wrap with Catherine O'Leary $180
10am – 5pm Witchetty’s
Beanie Central opens. More than 8000 beanies for sale, as well as our tea shop, fresh cakes, BBQ and textile demonstrations.
10am – 5pm Araluen Arts Centre Galleries
Thank You Thank You Thank You Beanies of Gratitude Exhibition, National Beanie Competition and retrospective collection of the world’s best beanies of the past 30 years.
10am – 5pm Araluen Arts Centre Foyer
Needle felt a beanie with Indigenous Women of Central Australia Drop-in anytime $50
10am-12pm Araluen Foyer
Indigenous Basket Weaving – sit with Louise and learn to weave your own basket or earrings.
Cost $80 Phone 0478 254 565 to book
10am – 5pm Araluen Arts Centre Foyer
Free drop in children’s workshops
10.30am – Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country.
11am-1pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Social Crochet with Bethany Wilson and Lisa McClean -Free
11am-3pm Flying Archies art exhibition. Central Australian Aviation Museum, 6 Memorial Avenue. (Around the corner from Araluen)
12.00pm– Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country.
1.30pm – Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country.
1pm-4pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Basic Sewing with Lily Ilko $60
Create a Printmaking Sampler with Kiana Thompson $90
Explore with Polymer Clay with Lauren Wilson $95
2pm-4pm Central Craft Booking www.centralcraft.com.au
Weave with Raffia with Beck Tyler $90
2pm Araluen Arts Centre Foyer
Free Beanie Making Crochet workshops ($15 if you need wool and a hook)
$90
3.00pm – Araluen verandah
Free Puppet Show: For young and old come and help find Lyla’s beanie as she ventures through the desert country.
Day 4
Araluen Arts Centre, 61 Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs
10am – 3pm Witchetty’s
10% off all Beanies – TODAY ONLY!
Beanie Central opens. More than 8000 beanies for sale, as well as our tea shop, fresh cakes, BBQ and textile demonstrations.
10am – 3pm Beanie Central
Needle felt a beanie with Indigenous Women of Central Australia Drop-in anytime $50
10am – 4pm Araluen Arts Centre Galleries
Thank You Thank You Thank You Beanies of Gratitude Exhibition, National Beanie Competition and retrospective collection of the world’s best beanies of the past 30 years.
10am – 2pm Witchetty’s
Needle felt a beanie with Indigenous Women of Central Australia Drop-in anytime $40
1pm Araluen Arts Centre Galleries
Announcement of the Centred in Choice People’s Favourite Award. Come along to find out who the people voted as their favourite beanie for 2026.
Download the 2026 Program below.
For a free bus pick up call Kris 0410 806 825
Free Beanie Making Workshop.
Learn to crochet a beanie for free. (If you wish to keep your wool and hook that will be $15) Saturday 21 June and Sunday 22 June 2pm. No need to book just rock up to the Araluen Foyer!
Needle felt a Beanie with the Indigenous Women of Central Australia
Spend some time with the women as they teach you how to create a stunning beanie using needle felting. You can drop in at any time and start crafting. Take a break from your daily routine, share stories, and soak up the warmth of the winter sun while you meditate.
Saturday 20, Sunday 21, Monday 22 June, from 10am – 5pm
Cost: $50
Central Craft Workshops Friday June 19 - Sunday June 21
