Alice Springs plays host to annual Beanie Festival

The Beanie festival and exhibition is a headwear extravaganza in the Australian desert city of Alice Springs that has attracted entries from as far away as Germany, Japan and the United States.

In Alice Springs, winter is an unusual season. It brings a flood of knitted hats, as unusual as they are colorful.

The demand for unusual hats inspires local artists and lovers of knitting in the southern stretch of the country's Northern Territory. And this year, entries have come from all around the world. Organizers say that they received knitted gems from as far afield as Germany, Sweden, Norway, Japan and the USA.

The extravaganza of gorgeous headwear in the Australian desert city of Alice

Springs is attracting entries from as far away as Germany, Japan and the United States.

Closer to home, knitting has been embraced by indigenous communities. Beanie Festival organizer Jo Nixon said that she is impressed with this year's entries.

"The beanies that have come in, they're absolutely fabulous, they're just so colorful, and there's beautiful stories in those beanies. So, you know, we feel really proud of those beanies that have come in from the communities," Nixon said.

Customers looking for fun ways to keep warm are delighted by the eclectic offerings.

"The satisfactions you get after somebody appreciates what you've made or, in this situation, will actually pay the money and go 'yes, I actually want that beanie', that gives you great pleasure," beanie maker Eric Corbin said.

The festival showcases about 7,000 beanies, and organizers expect to sell about 5,000. The beanie exhibition will run at the Araluen Gallery in Alice Springs until mid-July.

The extravaganza of gorgeous headwear in the Australian desert city of Alice Springs

is attracting entries from as far away as Germany, Japan and the United States.

The extravaganza of gorgeous headwear in the Australian desert city of Alice Springs

is attracting entries from as far away as Germany, Japan and the United States.

The extravaganza of gorgeous headwear in the Australian desert city of Alice Springs is

attracting entries from as far away as Germany, Japan and the United States.