Entertainment
17 April, 2025
Volkstanzfest
A CELEBRATION of Bavarian dance and culture lands in Cairns for the first time this weekend, as the 25th Volkstanzfest brings eight dance groups from across Australia to Palm Cove this weekend to boast their best moves.
The biennial festival of folkloric dance ‘Volkstanzfest’ it’s coming to Cairns for its 25th iteration after being selected in 2023 as the next hub of the festival, a first for the city.
This Saturday and Sunday, eight dance groups from NSW, WA, Tasmania and the Tablelands led by the Cairns Edelweiss Dance Group will get together at the Surf Club Palm Cove from 1.30pm and showcase their most authentic routines in a friendly and supportive environment to celebrate and keep the Bavarian tradition alive.
The event is free for the general public to attend but registrations are essential as capacity is limited.
“The Volkstanzfest started in 1977 and traditionally it runs every two years, usually at a capital city and the dance group leaders vote the next city to host the event and in 2023 Cairns was voted for the first time to host in 2025,” said Edelweiss Dance Group leader Sonya Kremser.
“This is very exciting because it’s the first time the festival has gone up north past Brisbane. We’ve (Edelweiss) have been attending since 2015 and we’re excited it’s finally coming to Cairns.
“There are several Bavarian dance groups around Australia and we dance, generally, just for our venues in our cities, so the festival is momentous because it brings all our dance groups together that work so hard and believe so much in preserving this style of dance and culture, to dance alongside each other in a noncompetitive way.
“The Palm Cove Surf Club are doing a special German menu for the weekend and other bars and restaurants are also bringing beers and schnapps for the event.
“The performances will begin at 1pm with the final performance happening at 6.30pm and from 8.30pm onwards will have a DJ until 11.30pm.
“We have 200 people coming in from interstate and we can fit approximately another 100 people in on top of that in the venue.”
For bookings, visit https://bit.ly/4j8lHKB
