This is the time of year the Northern Territory starts to bloom. The Wet Season has ended and the Dry is in full swing. Darwin is lush and full of life, kicking off with heaps of happening, fun stuff in July. Making it the perfect time, especially for those of you who don’t live in Darwin, to come on up and see the sights.
I’m giving you the heads up in June so you’ve still got time to slap on your Slappa’s and hoof our way 😊. Because if there’s one thing I know (other than fantastic thong-wear), it’s Darwin! So, for a Slappa’s Good Time, check this out …
We’re known in the Top End for being a pretty cruisy crowd. There’s nowhere I’m going to tell you about, that you can’t jump in and enjoy wearing your favourite thongs. Seriously, we invented the phrase laid back up here! So, when I say you can have a Slappa’s Good Time, I mean it, literally.
Magical Mindil Beach Sunset Market
This market is iconic and will be in full swing by July. It’s a favourite spot with Territorians and visitors alike. There really is something for everyone: fantastic food, tropical refreshments, world class stalls selling everything from art to thongs.
Guess who’ll be there with her Slappa’s Thongs? Be sure to pop by and say hi. I’d love to meet you! Plus, I’ll have some thrilling new thong colours arriving, as well as many of our classics.
What makes Mindil so magical is the location right on the beach. You can watch the sensational sunset, before browsing and basking in the cooler evening atmosphere on a Thursday and Sunday evening.
Top Tip
Get there early to bag a perfect sundowner spot for you and your esky; kick back and enjoy happy hour on the beach. It’s BYO only; no alcohol is sold at Mindil.
If you can’t make it down early, you can pre-book a VIP area. The Mindil team will set up a private area with tables, chairs and an esky with ice, that overlooks the beach and markets. VIP areas are $15 per head (or a little more per head if you want to arrange some added extras).
Slappa’s Go Bush
One thing my family loves, is the treasure trove of breathtaking natural beauty and our rich indigenous culture.
The Dry is the time to head out to some of these world-famous beauty spots, which are often impassable during the worst of our Wet Season. Stunning waterways, crystal-clear rock pools and spectacular waterfalls are all begging to be explored in places such as Kakadu, Litchfield and Katherine Gorge. There are many other equally gorgeous destinations you can visit from Darwin.
Slappa’s Sensational July recommendations
Territory Day on July 1st marks the Northern Territory’s anniversary of self-government.
The occasion is marked all across the Territory with fireworks displays, concerts and celebratory events.
If you happen to visit Mindil Beach Markets on Territory Day, you’ll enjoy a fantastic fireworks display, lighting up the Timor Sea. Truly magical!
The Beer Can Regatta has been hosted by The Lions Club since 1974. You don’t want to miss this hilarious, unique, utterly Territorian experience!
Let me tell you, there is nothing quite like watching as these beer-can-crafts (soda cans for the minors) are tested on the water. It’s a day for everyone and always draws a big crowd to Mindil Beach. Check out the video clips on their site – they put the F in Fun!
There’s more than just testing these preciously crafted vessels involved; you can always get involved in portage races, kayak races, sandcastle comps, iron man events and take part in some of the silly competitions – like thong-throwing! A special activity sponsored by Slappa’s Thongs. 😉
Come join us Sunday 9th July 2017
10am to 5pm Mindil Beach, Darwin.
Most Mindil Beach Sunset Market stalls will be set for the whole day.
Get your formal thongs on for Darwin Cup Carnival
Whilst we love our (sometimes) capsizing beer-can-vessels, beach and bush activities, we’ve got our classy side.
This is Darwin – of course, we have formal thong-wear!
If you want to get really dressed up and feel quite posh then why not spend a day at the horse races? There’s heaps happening and a great opportunity for posh-frocking. Ladies Day is an awesome day to dress up in your killer heels and dress-to-die-for. And when those heels start killing your still fun-fueled feet, swap them out for a pair of colour coordinated Slappa’s Thongs.
What’s more fun than spending the day with your besties, enjoying a flutter, admiring the fashions, dancing and drinking bubbles (a little too much for some)?
Part of the carnival celebrations is The Darwin Cup Ball, the biggest outdoor ball in the southern hemisphere, an opportune event for rubbing shoulders with celebs. And the very last event of the carnival is, of course, The Darwin Cup which is always held on the 1st Monday of August, so if you’re in Darwin then make sure you don’t miss it!
Slappa’s Lounging About
Now Darwin can involve a lot of stimulating activity, but if you prefer to just kick back and relax…
Then have I got the perfect Darwin activity for you!
The Deckchair Cinema is open 7-days a week, with the box office open from 6pm. It’s the perfect opportunity to just chillax, sit beneath the stars and soak up some cinematic sensation.
This is all just the tip of the iceberg, of ways to enjoy tropical Darwin and our stunning surrounds in the Dry.
Did I mention the other good thing is you can be comfortable and wear thongs (preferably Slappa’s) at all these events? (Yeah, I know I did 😉).
And there’s more. A lot more! Don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself at the Tourism Top End Site.
Thongs On!
Denise
Mindil Beach Sunset Market is a great supporter of home grown music. Every Thursday and Sunday from the Sound Shell you can sit down at the tables set up by the markets, enjoy your dinner and a few drinks while listening to something different each week ranging from Reggae, folk, rock, jazz and country. Some of the local bands and musicians that have performance this year are Bridey Rose, Dave Garnham and his band The Reasons to Live, Reggae Dave, Skarett, Kormilda College Band, Darwin Army Band, After The Rain and recently brother’s Livi & Aaron VanderAa who have just returned from 2 years touring overseas.
It was great to listen to The Kormilda College band which was only created this year and is made up of talented junior music students, performing modern, classic soul and r’n’b inspired songs. Featuring upcoming diva Stevie Kyriacou, winner of the Darwin Schools Pitch Perfect singing competition, the band exhibits some of the most exciting young musicians in Darwin. So great to see so many young talented people in Darwin!
Performances from the Australian Air force Jazz Band, Darwin Army Band and the Australian Army Band draw in the crowds and are always extremely popular.
But the music which is best known at Mindil Beach is eMDee who play each week at the Casino End of the markets. You will experience the amazing sounds of extremely fast drum and didgeridoo laying at its best. They have even performed at the Sydney Opera House!
So if you are coming up to Darwin for a holiday or moving to Darwin this is just a taste of what is on offer when it comes to live music.
To see where all the live music is happening, you can look up the local Gig Guide either in the NT News on Thursday or the website www.darwinlive.com.au or their face book site.
Pictures courtesy of Mindil Beach Sunset Market
http://www.slappasthongs.com.au/buy-slappas
Wow what an amazing year it has been for Slappa’s Thongs. New colours, New website, New branding, New stockists and lot’s, lot’s, lot’s of New Slappa’s clients.
The year started with a very quick trip to China to see the new shipment be produced, packed up and sent to Darwin ready for the start of the Mindil Beach Sunset Market season. I was very excited as the new colours Red, Orange, White, Olympic Blue and Purple/White looked fantastic and I couldn’t wait to sell them and of course wear them.
The first market of the season was on ANZAC Day, so it was an early start for us as the kids and I always attend Dawn Service. The markets fittingly started with one minute’s silence and the Last Post was played to remember all of those who serviced our country and fort for what we have now. There was such a great vibe to the market as I think everyone was so excited that Mindil Beach Sunset Markets were back on for another year of food, fun, entertainment and new things to buy. The crowds were fantastic and it was so good to see all my market friends again. The night ended with fireworks and lots of cheers to mark the opening of the 2013 season.
The year saw lot’s of travel for me to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide to meet potential stockists, trade fairs and arranging the New Website.
I teamed up with Janette (Dusty) Symonds from Squiggle Graphix and Phil Peet from Phil Boss Designs to design & implement the new website and branding for Slappa’s Thongs. What a huge job for all of us especially Dusty and Phil. We managed to get it launched just in time for the Christmas rush. What was even more exciting was the site was not even fully launched and we started getting orders. I would like to thank Dusty and Phil for all the hours, late nights and patience on achieving such a wonderful result. The website is so professional, easy to navigate and works a treat. Just perfect, perfect, perfect. I would also like to thanks my photographer Mark Hamilton from Mark Hamilton Photography in Darwin and Laura Bradley – model for the fantastic photo shoot. The photos are what makes this website. Also Donna and Ashley for being brave and enduring their first ever modelling experience and Darwin Waterfront for allowing us to photograph in such a great location.
Slappa’s Thongs were also very proud and happy to announce new locations where Slappa’s could be purchased. Slappa’s can now be found in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales.
In South Australia Slappa’s Thongs are located at The People’s Markets West Lakes Shores Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In Victoria I have three people selling from markets in Echuca Moama, Bendigo, Geelong, Laverton, Docklands, Oceangrove, Torquay and Portalington. All dates of markets are posted on Facebook. Indulgence Gifts in St Helen’s, Tasmania is the newest stockist and I am very excited to say Sole Therapy, podiatrist’s at Ramsgate Beach a suburb in Sydney are stockists.
Slappa’s Thongs has also teamed up with Barefoot Fishing Safaris, The Fish Grips Australia and 2nd year sponsors to the Waratah’s Juniors Football Club.
We have also donated over 1000 pairs of thongs to the refugees at the Darwin Airport Lodge and over 500 pairs to the Filipino Australian Association of the NT to help the people affected from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Slappa’s Thongs is a continued supporter of Cystic fibrosis SA with donations of thongs and money.
So a very successful and busy year for Slappa’s Thongs in 2013 and with lot’s of new things on the drawing board we are certainly look forward to 2014.
Thankyou everyone who has supported Slappa’s Thongs. It is great to meet lot’s of new people at the markets and see familiar faces who keep coming back with their friends and family to buy Slappa’s.
Special thanks to my lovely friend Jeannie from Natural Wonders Darwin and her family for looking after Slappa’s Thongs for 2 weeks while we were away in December. You are amazing!
A very Happy, Happy New Year and may 2014 be a wonderful, prosperous year for us all.