One of Townsville’s most beloved cafes will become a portal to an other-worldly dimension when more than 20 experimental artists are set loose in the space as part of the North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA) this Saturday, 4 October 2025.
Now in its third year, NIMBUS features a record line-up of musicians, DJs, dancers, performing artists and visual arts installations at HeyDays Café on Flinders Street west.
Event promoter Damian Meredith said NIMBUS is designed to give local artists a platform for fully expressing their creative desires, free from the constraints of grant criteria or commercial expectations.
“It’s really important that artists have opportunities to play outside the box, rather than churning out variations of the same thing” said Damian.
“NIMBUS is an invitation for people to experiment with their craft, colour outside the lines and get super playful. While giving local audiences something fresh, exciting, and a bit unusual”
“Townsville has such an eclectic range of diverse, talented, envelope-pushing artists. The team behind NIMBUS are truly incredible, and together we really want attendees to feel like they’ve walked into their favourite café and fallen through a portal to another dimension,” Damian said.
NIMBUS is built on a strong undercurrent of electronic music by DJs including Reef Siren, DJ4LVIN3, It’s Not a Wig, Senorita B, Prior Self, Nate Swan, Flaw Clinic, HOF and Damian’s own alter-ego, Dameboy.
Meanwhile, HeyDays will become near unrecognisable in the hands of space-makers Diffraction Collective, graffiti crew All Hours, visual artists Squeak + Bubble, lighting designer Yoshie Kenny, and Naomi Jean who is curating a Heavenly Cloud Garden.
Naomi said the Heavenly Cloud Garden answers the call for a dedicated space to enjoy a moment away from the dance floor.
“The lofty upper floors of HeyDays will be transformed into a lush immersive zone for sipping cocktails with friends and listening to special soundscapes,” said Naomi.
“The Cloud Garden will feature live ambient music from Isadore; environmental surround sound and light installations; a tactile corner to wrap your fingers around some clay with ceramic artist extraordinaire, Baylee Griffin; and a magic wardrobe manned by members of the Theatre iNQ Ensemble.”
NIMBUS will also include performances by dance artists Jordan Galliot, Caitlin Halmarick, Sabine Crompton-Ward, Tiana Lung and Michael Smith.
NIMBUS will be held at HeyDays Café and Events over 8 hours on Saturday, 4 October. For more details, and tickets, visit the North Australian Festival of Arts website: www.nafa-tsv.com.au.
FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.
Image credit: Aaron Ashley