The exhibition features works from local Indigenous artists and will be open 10am to 5pm today and tomorrow (Saturday) and 12pm to 4pm Sunday.

‘Honouring our Elders, Nurturing our Youth’ is this year’s NAIDOC Week theme and in Parkes a calendar of events has been planned, highlighted by a street procession and celebrations in Cooke Park on Sunday.

Tonight will see a community dinner dance take place at the Parkes Leagues Club where the highlight will include the announcement of Parkes’ Indigenous Person of the Year.

The evening gets underway at 6.30pm.

Sunday’s activities will commence with the street parade at 10am. Marshalling begins at 9.30am at the Post Office carpark where the parade will set off and proceed around Chamberlain Square to Cooke Park where a range of activities will take place.

The whole community is invited to participate in the activities and celebrations that will include a flag raising ceremony, official addresses, entertainment and a barbecue lunch.

One of the highlights will also include the announcement of the 2009 Parkes Indigenous Youth of the Year.

Activities will continue next Tuesday with a Koori Careers and Services Expo in the L.P. Johnson Hall at the Parkes High School.

Communities, schools and the general public throughout the shire are invited to attend the Expo as a means of learning more about the services available to them and future career paths.

The expo will open from 10am to 1pm and involve a number of career personnel, government agencies, community-based colleges, employment agencies and various universities.

Thursday’s highlight will take place at Peak Hill where Mayor Cr Ken Keith and Wiradjuri Linguist Stan Grant (Senior) will conduct the official unveiling of the new `Welcome to Wiradjuri Country’ sign. The ceremony is scheduled to commence at 10am.

Main aim of the Parkes NAIDOC Planning Group is to celebrate Aboriginal achievements with the community as a whole.

Each event planned celebrates Indigenous culture and language as well as the contribution of Indigenous people to contemporary Australia.