Entertainment
23 August, 2024
Toasting our tropical Utopia
THE annual celebration of the region’s tropical paradise starts today when the 62nd Cairns Festival takes over the city with live music, captivating exhibits and immersive experiences for the whole family.
With a program larger than life and a selection of free and ticketed events, this year’s festival will cater to the tastes of everyone and celebrate the vibrant arts and cultural scene of the city and its residents from today, culminating with Carnival on Collins on Father’s Day (September 1).
The party kicks off today with ‘A Cultural Rising’ featuring headline act Christine Anu on stage on the Court House Gallery front lawn, followed by a packed opening weekend including the much-loved Grand Parade and seven-hours of live music and family fun.
The best way to start the weekend is with the beloved festival staple, the ‘Grand Parade’ which will take place tomorrow and is expected to attract 25,000 people along the Esplanade.
“The Grand Parade is the biggest community-driven event of the Cairns Festival and has been in every iteration of Cairns Festival since 1962,” said Cairns Mayor Amy Eden.
“There are approximately 60 floats from community groups, businesses, sporting clubs and schools ready to turn the Esplanade into a feast of colour and activity.
“There’s so many great events and activities to enjoy. It’s a festival that truly celebrates our tropical lifestyle and is a chance for families to spend precious time together, and an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of our community.”
There will be plenty of interactive experiences for the whole family, including Reef Lights, back for its third instalment, The Bubble Station producing 12,000 bubbles per minute, HEXADECA, an interactive music-making playground and Bloom by Bonemap, an outdoor projection that transforms in response to the audience.
Live music will also be a highlight of the weekend, headline acts Christine Anu, Z-Star and homegrown talent Eves Karydas, free live music hubs with the Esplanade main stage and festival stage at the Court House Gallery and ticketed performances including alt-rock luminaries Jebediah and Magic Dirt, The Tropical Soul Party featuring The Bamboos plus DJ Emma Peel.
Visit: https://bit.ly/3WRoHkB
