A festival celebrating Aboriginal cultural the event will be held at the Forster Sporting Complex in Lakes Street following citizenship and awards ceremonies.

Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance general manager, Chris Spencer, said the festival's mission was to celebrate and share authentic Aboriginal living culture with the wider community and to commemorate Australia Day as a positive, inclusive family day for all communities to enjoy.

The only Aboriginal cultural festival of its kind in regional NSW, it is a true showcase of local culture, skills, music, dance, art, lifestyle and culinary talent.

Among its goals is to pass on Aboriginal cultural knowledge to the region's youth.

The festival is also about creating a platform for Aboriginal performers, artists and businesses and unearths the rich, diverse and thriving Goori culture on the Mid North Coast.

Held annually on Australia Day, the festival is a unique and much loved event which attracts a broad spectrum of the Mid North Coast community; Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal, youngsters to elders, Mr Spencer said.

The festival, which will kick-off from 10am and go through to 8pm, includes a range of activities, foodstalls, arts and craft market, cultural workshops in canoes, cance, weaving and language.

The first festival was held in Coffs Harbour in 2010 attracting 12,000 people,

Since then it has been held in Taree, Port Macquarie and Kempsey.

Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance is a not-for-profit organisation governed by a board representing 10 Local Aboriginal Land Councils on the Mid North Coast; Karuah, Forster, Purfleet Taree, Bunyah (Wauchope), Birpai (Port Macquarie), Kempsey, Thungutti (Bellbrook), Unkya (Macksville), Bowraville and Coffs Harbour.

The communities cover the four language areas of the Worimi, Biripi, Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr.

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