Darwin’s Garrmalang Festival will return in May with an extended six day program and headline acts, the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, Ursula Yovich, Elaine Crombie, and Kevin Kropinyeri, the organisers have said.

Creative director Wendy Ludwig said this year’s festival had doubled in length, running from May 23 to May 28 at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, and said they would have the best First Nations talent in Australia.

“In response to the growing popularity of Garrmalang Festival, this year’s program has been extended out to a six-day feast of music, song, dance, comedy and art and very important conversations,” she said.

“We’re bringing together all our community to celebrate as one. Our lineup offers a feast of music, song, dance, comedy, art and panel discussions.”

She said the official gathering and welcome will be held on Friday night as a free event, the doors open to the public with the Gary Lang Story on Wednesday May 24.

Mr Lang is the artistic director and choreographer of NT Dance Company.

A free Blak Talk panel will be held on Saturday with a session moderated by Ursula Raymond, addressing the upcoming referendum entitled: The Voice – Let’s Talk About the Question.

Ms Ludwig said as part of the bigger festival they were dedicating a section of the program to engaging with First Nations youth through a series of workshops and a panel discussion around issues of importance when thinking about their futures.

“The diversity of First Nations artists, performers, musicians, speakers and traders presented will provide something for everyone to enjoy and celebrate,” she said.

The eight-piece Yolŋu funk outfit the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band will return to the NT after a run of festival shows down south.

Ursula Yovich will bring her 2023 Sydney Festival show, An Evening with Ursula Yovich, with a full band, including bassist Adam Ventura from Midnight Oil.

Support acts include guitarist and Australia’s Got Talent finalist Chris Tamwoy who is opening for Yovich, and legendary Territorian Paul Ah Chee opening for the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band.

The festival will see the debut of Elaine Crombie’s latest comedic cabaret and theatre piece Janet Vagrant’s Love on the Friday night, and Kevin Kropinyeri returns, this time with Kevin Kropinyeri Goes Talkabout as the headline show on Sunday night for this year’s Big Blak Dot Comedy Spectacular.

For the festival’s full program and to book tickets visit the Darwin Entertainment Centre website.