Community
21 April, 2025
Council backs super events
FOUR key events on the Cairns calendar are to receive $400,000 in sponsorship from ratepayers.
Cairns Regional Council has committed funds to:
Dream Aloud – $50,000 for 2025
Cairns Show – $70,000 for 2025
Cairns Fashion Week –$120,000 for three years
Cairns Super Carnival (Cairns Amateurs and Cairns Cup) – $150,000 for two years.
Councillors were unanimous in support of the events.
Cr Rhonda Coghlan (Div. 8) told the March 12 council meeting that the show was “near and dear to all of us”.
She said it was loved by generations and she was now taking her grandchildren to the annual event.
A council report said the $70,000 funding commitment would help the Cairns Agricultural Pastoral and Mining Association deliver the 2025 Cairns Show.
“Staged annually since 1891 and now the largest regional show in Australia, this year’s Cairns Show will be held from July 16-18,” it said.
“The three-day event is expected to attract about 70,000 people, including 15,000 intrastate visitors, with a potential direct and indirect economic impact of $1.7 million to the Cairns economy.”
Cr Kristy Vallely (above) said fashion week was “fantastic”.
She said she was “blown away” by the first event which was “a great economic driver”.
“I felt I was in Paris,” Cr Vallely said.
A council report said the four-day fashionable event celebrated the region’s style and creativity.
“Showcasing local designers, emerging talent and Indigenous artistry, Cairns Fashion Week positions Cairns as a destination for fashion, creativity, and cultural expression and attracts designers, models and fashionistas from across Australia,” it said.
“Since its inception, the event has continued to grow and contributes to the local economy through supporting small businesses, tourism, and creative industries.
“To be held in November, Cairns Fashion Week also reinforces the city’s reputation as a dynamic and culturally rich destination”.
The council has also approved funding to help secure the return of the First Nations contemporary music event Dream Aloud that is part of the state-wide Queensland Music Trails (QMT) program.
Last year’s inaugural Dream Aloud event, which featured headline artists such as Baker Boy and King Stingray, is part of Tropics Trail – a key component of the QMT program that is supported by the Queensland Government. The return of Dream Aloud, along with Shine On Gimuy and Savannah in the Round, will complete October’s Tropics Trail program.
