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Queensland Events & Festivals - the perfect reason for a
holiday in Queensland.
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Tropical
North Queensland Events & Festivals |
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| Cairns Chinese New Year |
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February 2016
Cairns
http://cairnschinesenewyear.org/
Chinese New Year is the longest and most
important celebration in the Chinese
calendar, and is celebrated around
Australia in recognition of Australia’s
long Chinese cultural heritage. Many
Chinese-Australian families reunite to
celebrate Chinese New Year in Australia
and welcome the year in with good
fortune and prosperity. Firecrackers,
lanterns and silk dragons are in
abundance. The Great Dragon appears at
the Chinese New Year celebrations in the
streets of Cairns CBD. Festivities
include a Grand Parade, Dragon Boat
races and markets. |
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| Port Douglas Carnivale |
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May 2016 (dates to
be announced)
Port Douglas
www.carnivale.com.au
Port Douglas Carnivale celebrates
everything wonderful about Tropical
North Australia. With music, arts,
sports, cuisine, culture and
entertainment, there is every reason to
head for a 'taste of paradise'.
Carnivale is held over two weekends -
each packed with great events with
Carnivale Club and sporting competitions
in between.
From glamorous, gourmet events like
the Seafood Extravaganza and
the Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch to the
community spirit celebrated by the
Macrossan Street Parade and Four Mile
Beach Day, Port Douglas turns on all its
charm during Carnivale. Check out the
full program of events - culture,
sports, arts, entertainment and cuisine
- and book your tickets online. |
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| Taste Port Douglas |
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May 2016 (date to be
announced)
Port Douglas
www.carnivale.com.au
Tastebuds are sure to be tantalised and
food lovers delighted as Port Douglas
Carnivale's biggest foodie event, Taste
of Paradise, returns with a new name and
an impressive line-up of high profile
celebrity chefs.
Acclaimed celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge
will headline the newly rebranded Taste
Port Douglas with guest appearances
throughout the day by other renowned
chefs as the Sugar Wharf is transformed
into a food lover's paradise for the
day. |
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| Cairns Airport Ironman |
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12 June 2016
Cairns
www.ironmancairns.com
Situated at the gateway to the Great
Barrier Reef, Cairns Airport Ironman
Cairns is set in one of the world's most
iconic tropical locations and boasts a
stunning backdrop that will take your
breath away.
Described as the "most spectacular bike
course in the world" by World Champion
Chris McCormack, the bike leg takes
competitors up the Captain Cook Highway
hugging the coastline from Cairns to
Port Douglas.
From reef to World Heritage listed
rainforest, and a run along the stunning
Cairns boardwalk, the race finishes in
the heart of the city. This race has
become a 'must-do' on the Ironman
circuit, and there is every reason to
believe the hype.
World Championship Qualifying Race -
Offering 40 qualifying spots for the
2014 Ironman World Championship in
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, this is one event
to lock in your race calendar! |
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| Cairns Ukelele Festival |
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Be Back Mid-year
2016
Cairns
www.cairnsukelelefestival.net
Cairns has become the place to be for
ukulele lovers and music lovers alike
the first weekend of July. The Cairns
Ukulele Festival is an annual multi-day,
multi-arts festival that brings people
from all over the globe and from all
walks of life and ages together to enjoy
and make music in the tropics. There are
concerts, workshops, tours and even an
art exhibition, all featuring the
ukulele and the tropical lifestyle
associated with the instrument. The
festival comprises free and ticketed
events with a world-class international
line-up. Musical styles range from pop
to rock to folk to jazz and blues - yes,
all played on the ukulele. Always
original, refreshing and eclectic, and
known for its friendly, inclusive
atmosphere, the Cairns Ukulele Festival
is not to be missed! |
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| Cairns Festival |
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29 August - 6
September 2016
Cairns
www.cairns.qld.gov.au/festival
We are lucky enough to live in paradise.
So let's celebrate life in the tropics,
our past, our present and our future.
Reflecting the Celebrating Paradise
theme, this year's program is centred on
what it means to live in this glorious
part of the world through events
emphasising family and community - a
return to the spirit of the very first
festival back in 1961. Once again the
festival will centre on our fantastic
waterfront. The Paradise on Esplanade
festival hub will host a wide range of
performances and serve as the go-to
location for information and
inspiration. In keeping with the
family-friendly program, the vast
majority of Festival events are free,
making it a truly accessible celebration
for everyone in the Cairns region and
our visitors. |
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| Cairns Amateur Racing
Carnivale |
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10 September - 13
September 2015
Cairns
www.cairnsamateurs.org.au
The Cairns Amateurs Racing Carnival is
four days of Fun, Fashion, and Racing
built around two days of horse racing in
Cairns in early September each year.
What began as a small meeting in 1959,
designed to bring city and country
together, has expanded over the years to
become one of Australia's premier spring
horse racing carnivals. The beautiful
mild September climate entices large
crowds of locals as well as interstate
visitors. Our Carnival Events for the
2013 Cairns Amateurs are from Thursday
the 11th to Sunday the 14th of September
2014. |
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| Reef Feast - the best
of Palm Cove |
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9 October - 11 October 2015
Cairns
www.tourismpalmcove.com
Reef Feast - the best of Palm Cove, is a
three day food event showcasing the
local produce at its peak, and is in the
hands of some of Tropical North
Queensland's most creative and
imaginative chefs. This year will be
bigger, brighter and better than ever,
with restaurants and cafes offering
tastes to tempt the most discerning
palates.
Marquees offering mouth watering
delights will line the Esplanade on the
main day where visitors can stroll
amongst the ancient Melaleuca trees of
Palm Cove's famous, palm fringed, sandy
beach and enjoy the sights, sounds, and
flavours of this exciting family event.
This showcase of their region and its
lush tropical bounty is a must for the
whole family. Experience exclusive wine
and produce dinners, cooking
demonstrations, live music, food
seminars and a family market day teaming
with an incredible array of divine food
stalls. |
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| Great Barrier Reef
Festival |
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1 November 2015
Port Douglas
http://www.greatbarrierreefmarathon.com.au/WELCOME.3.0.html
The Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival
is a running festival for all shapes and
sizes, across distances for all running
enthusiasts. This Port Douglas event has
six distances from an Ultra Marathon, to
a 2.5km Junior Challenge that race over
courses featuring the iconic Four Mile
Beach, the surrounding rainforest and
valley and the Port Douglas village |
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| Mareeba Rodeo |
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16 July - 17 July
2016
Mareeba
www.mareebarodeo.com.au
Mareeba Rodeo is held in mid July every
year, over a three day weekend at the
Kerribee Park rodeo grounds.
It's a classic outback event which, like
other rodeos, is a competition to test
cowboys' skills in different rides. |
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| Cooktown Festival |
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10 June - 13 June
2016 Queen's birthday weekend in June
Cooktown
www.cooktowndiscovery.com
Cooktown Festival is held over a three
day weekend in early June, and it is one
of the best events on the peninsula. In
addition to eating competitions, a truck
pulling competition, cane toad races and
other fun, there is the re-enactment of
Cook's landing, which is great to watch. |
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| Laura Aboriginal Dance
Festival |
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Mid-June (biennial
event - odd years)
Laura
www.lauradancefestival.com
Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival is held
over a three day weekend in late June,
and is easily the best of all Cape York
events. Aboriginal dance groups come
from different communities from all over
the peninsula to perform their dancing
programs that consist of a few different
dances each, and are excellent watching. |
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Visit
www.queenslandholidays.com.au for these &
more events & festivals or visit the individual
event sites. |
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