ABOUT CAIRNS
Join more than two million people every year and change your latitude with a visit to Cairns – Australia’s gateway to the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef and tropical rainforests of Tropical North Queensland.
Visitors to Cairns can snorkel the reef, experience the dense rainforest of the Daintree and the lush mountain highlands, visit the remote Cape York Peninsula or relax in the idyllic resort towns of Palm Cove and Port Douglas.
The mild, dry August weather, with a daily average temperature of 26.5°C, is perfect for golf, deep sea fishing, white water rafting, diving, snorkelling, hiking and every other activity Cairns has to offer.
The city boasts world-class tourism facilities, including an international and domestic airport, luxury hotels and day spas, designer shopping, heritage markets and some of the nation’s best restaurants for modern Australian and Asian cuisine.
To find out more about Cairns and Tropical Australia or book your holiday and accommodation visit www.tropicalaustralia.com.au
FESTIVAL CAIRNS 2009
21 August - 6 September
Now in its 47th year, Festival Cairns is the city's annual celebration of its unique, tropical lifestyle, culture and diversity.
This year marks a new chapter in the festival’s history, with Cairns Regional Council now coordinating the event, and aiming to deliver a quality, vibrant, progressive and collaborative, arts & cultural, community festival.
The 2009 features an exciting line-up of free and ticketed events combining visual art, music, dance, film, and a selection of large public events, all focused on this year's theme of "telling our own unique stories" and celebrating our distinctive, tropical lifestyle.
• Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (Fri 21 - Sun 23 Aug) as part of the Q150 Queensland State Government birthday celebrations & in partnership with Arts Queensland, Cairns will host the largest regional indigenous art fair in Australia, a high-end visual arts exhibition and performing arts event, taking over the entire Tanks Arts Centre site for 3 days, and attracting national & international artists and buyers.
• Grand Parade, Fireworks & Tropical Wave Festival + The Saltwater Band (Sat 22 Aug) Tropical Wave runs all day and is the celebration of the region's multicultural diversity through food & performance. Then, under new creative direction by the team behind the Adelaide Fringe Festival parade, the new look Grand Parade will kick off with community groups and businesses providing a spectacular walking parade, complemented by a flotilla of awe-inspiring floats. Fireworks will close the parade and lead into the free Tropical Wave concert by the Lagoon, featuring The Saltwater Band's free concert and first ever Queensland appearance.
• Regional Food Showcase with Gary Mehigan, from Masterchef - (Sat 22 & Sun 23 Aug) Celebrity Chef Gary will make appearances at Farmgate Produce Market and a ticketed lunch at Palm Cove's food & lifestyle event, "Taste of Palm Cove".
• Cairns Amateurs Racing Carnival (Fri 4 - Sat 5 Sep) is one of the city's annual signature events, evolving from a small race meet in 1959 to become one of Australia's most popular spring horse racing carnivals.
• Reggaetown (Sat 5 Sep) is Australia's premier roots and reggae showcase, delivering a rich cultural component to the festival program, and with its stunning natural setting, is a popular event for locals, families, backpackers and music lifestyle lovers.
• Carnival on Collins (Sun 6 Sep) Fathers Day Sunday - there’s no better place to be but soaking up the fun and excitement of Carnival on Collins - a feature event of Festival Cairns set amidst the lush backdrop of the city’s botanic precinct.
For more information visit www.festivalcairns.com.au
