A number of festivals and events are held throughout the year in Alice Springs and across the rest of the Northern Territory. Many of these events celebrate the art and culture of the area’s indigenous tribes, while others cater specifically for tourists. The Henley-on-Todd Regatta is the most popular event, with a rambunctious crowd of celebrators joining in the festivities.

Australia Day: a number of events are held on 26 January across the Northern Territory and the rest of Australia to celebrate what's great about Australia and its people. In Alice Springs, a flag-raising ceremony takes place in the morning, while in the evening locals gather together at the Convention Centre for the Australia Day Ball.

Chinese New Year: while most visitors don't associate the Northern Territory with Chinese traditions, the distant city of Darwin hosts a thriving immigrant population. New Year’s celebrations last for two weeks and include lion dances and a nine-course banquet accompanied by traditional Chinese dance.

DesArt in the Park: held twice during the year—once in February and again in March. Live entertainment and screenings by local filmmakers are popular events. Local artists display their work in a number of exhibits, with a number of pieces that reflect aboriginal and international styles. Virtually everything on display is also for sale, and a price cap guarantees that no asking price exceeds AU$200.

Alice Springs Heritage Festival: this event hosts an in-depth look at Alice Springs heritage and culture. There are several screenings of antique Central-Australian films at this time, and visitors have the opportunity to explore and learn about a number of heritage buttons throughout Alice Springs. Guided walks of Alice Springs are also on the agenda.

Bassinthegrass: this annual 12-hour music festival is the largest of its kind in the Northern Territory, held some distance from Alice Springs in the city of Darwin. A number of top-billing bands show up for this event, making it wildly popular with young rockers.

Bangtail Muster: one of Alice Springs’ biggest annual parades is held to raise funds for the Alice Springs Youth Centre. A number of floats are regaled along Todd avenue.

Alice Springs Beanie Festival: this quirky festival celebrates Australia's love of the beanie. Music, children's crafts and activities, and an exhibit of more than 4,000 beanies are the headlining events. Opening night is the most popular evening of this winter festival, when the best-of-show beanies are paraded across the premises.

Camel Cup Races: Australia's biggest camel race is held right here in Alice Springs. The event celebrates the important contribution these hardy beasts of burden have made to the Alice. A grand display of fireworks caps the occasion.

Garma Cultural Festival: held some distance from Alice Springs at Arnhem Land on the northernmost coast of the Northern Territory, this festival celebrates the cultural heritage of the Yolngu aboriginal tribe. A number of events showcase aboriginal arts and practices during the first week of August.

Henley-on-Todd Regatta: by far the most celebrated festival in Alice Springs. Locals put together teams, build land-worthy boats and compete in a mock regatta on the dry Todd River. This vibrant and raucous event gets its laughs at the expense of the much more formal regattas once held by British settlers. In the rare event of a wet spring, the race is cancelled.

Bassinthedust: Alice Springs’ response to Darwin's Bassinthegrass grows in popularity each year. A number of local and internationally-renown bands convene on Alice Springs for one day in late September.

Corkwood Festival: food, music and dancing all highlights of this event held on Todd Mall on November's last Sunday. There are also a number of arts and crafts on display, all of which are typically for sale.