Italian Festival in midst of 17-day events program across the Far North Enjoy taste of Italy in tropics

l CAIRNS REGION | Gail Sedorkin

DON’T miss one of the best fireworks displays in Far North Queensland at the Cairns Italian Festival’s free Family Night and Fireworks tonight.

At Fogarty Park, this night of family fun from 6pm to 8.30pm is the first of five more major festival events still to be enjoyed this year.

The free Family Night will also launch the highlight of the 2023 Cairns Italian Festival – La Festa Day – in Fogarty Park from 10am to 11.30pm tomorrow. The Cinecitta Gala Ball and Awards night on August 4, the Mareeba Moriconi Bomben Soccer Cup on August 5 and the Mareeba Salami and Sausages Festa on August 6 complete the 17-day festival.

Festival president Steve Cordenos said guests could expect an Italian party like no other at each and every event of the 2023 festival, and highly recommended buying tickets now to avoid queues, especially for La Festa Day tomorrow.

The ultimate celebration of Italy’s food, wine, fun and culture, enjoy the best of traditional street food, wine, drinks and coffee from the 20 different regions of the European country.

Hosted by James Liotta, an award-winning performer and Master of Ceremonies (MC), the La Festa fun includes pizza acrobatics and a spaghetti eating competition, while the amazing line-up of entertainment includes the live performances of Siesta Cartel, the ‘Made in Italy’ Show, Ross Maio and local opera singers.

Both Turning Pointe Dance Studios and popular DJ Stefano Marciano will also be there to entertain the crowd, as well as at the ball.

One of the most sought-after events this year, the ball is themed after the iconic film studio in Rome – the Italian Hollywood on the Tiber.

Held at the Pullman International in Cairns on August 4 it promises to be a night of glitz and glamour which will feature the Italian Hall of Fame Awards and Life Member Awards.

Mareeba will be the place to be on the final weekend of the festival, when it hosts a new event, the Moriconi-Bomben Soccer Cup, on Saturday August 5, and the final event, the Mareeba Salami and Sausages Festa, on Sunday August 6.

It’s highly recommended you buy your La Festa tickets online to avoid the queues.

For more information and all tickets visit www.cairnsitalianfestival.com.au

Family Night Fireworks Fogarty Park

l FRI JULY 28, 6:00PM-8:30PM

Bring the family down to the launch of the Italian Festa with one of the best fireworks display in North Queensland for some family fun!

We will have face painting and an incredible photo opportunity with Roman soldiers and more.

Cost: Free

Support our free family night event by purchasing a Raffle ticket at the event or online.

For more information visit www.cairnsitalianfestival.com.au

Free Movie Night Loridan Drive Park

l SAT JULY 29, 6:00PM-9:00PM

Join neighbours and friends at Loridan Drive Park, Brinsmead for a free family screening of The Bad Guys as part of our Moving Picture Nights series. Moving Picture Nights are free, open-air family film nights hosted throughout the Cairns region.

Cubs Baseball Club will be selling burgers, popcorn, snacks, drinks and a sausage sizzle. Cash or eftpos available. Music will start at 6pm, followed by the movie screening at 7pm.

Latin Dance Night Yorkeys Knob Boating Club

l SAT JULY 29, 6:30PM-9:30PM

Back by popular demand!

Cairns Latin Dance Club are coming back with a fun-filled night of music, dancing and live performances. Come on down and join the fun and simply be mesmerized by the live performances.

For more info and to book your table visit the Yorkeys Knob Boating Club website.

Vexpo 2023 Tanks Arts Centre

l SUN JULY 30, 9:00AM-2:00PM

FNQ Volunteers Inc. is excited to bring you the 5th annual VEXPO event showcasing the range of volunteering opportunities available for Cairns people, of all abilities and ages to join groups and build social connections around common interests. Around 30 local not-for-profit organizations that involve volunteers will be promoting and showcasing what they do and how they do it to across the community.

FRIDAY

Eddie Skiba – Dunwoodys, 4:00pm

Kaweyova Duo – Salthouse, 5:00pm

Christina Ukulele – The Cotton Club, 5:30pm

Infinity Duo – Davies Park Mareeba, 6:00pm

Archie Moore Cairns Art Gallery

l FRI JULY 28, 9:00AM-5:00PM

Archie Moore was born in Toowoomba, Queensland in 1970. His Aboriginal paternal heritage is Kamilaroi from the Northern Riverine region in Queensland. Archie Moore’s Pillors of Democracy is a critical examination of the four strands of modern democracy and the way in which they fail to protect the most vulnerable in our community.

Exhibition Runs: 24 June till 3 September 2023

SATURDAY

Barbary Coasters – Ellis Beach Bar & Grill, 2:00pm

Wendy Duo – Surf Club Palm Cove, 2:00pm

Waiting for Alice – Strait on the Beach, 3:00pm

Wind and Wood – Ten 06, 5:30pm

Joel Sam Exodus Cairns Art Gallery

l SATURDAY JULY 30TH

Joel Sam was born in 1977 on Thursday Island, Torres Strait, Queensland. Sam is a Saibai artist of the Sui Baidam clan.

Exodus is a personal account of the mass movement of people in the 1940s from the island of Saibai in the Torres Strait to Mutee Heads on Cape York Peninsula.

Exhibition Runs: 7 July till 3 Sept 2023

SUNDAY

Talitha Jae – Ellis Bach Bar & Grill, 1:00pm

Infinity Duo – Cairns RSL, 1:00pm

Axon Bower & Phoebe Over – Dunwoodys, 2:00pm

DjGlennW – Dundees at the Aquarium, 2:00pm

IZAK, Tegan Koster Project and Madam Manana - Court

House Gallery, 6:00pm

Sax Man – Chill Café Palm Cove, 6:00pm

Hot Ice – Cazalys Cairns, 6:30pm

Mississippi Shakedown – The Mountain View Hotel, 7:00pm

Katy Steele – Tanks Arts Centre, 7:30pm

Big Pups – Silkwood Hotel, 7:30pm

Dale & Ange – Surf Club Palm Cove, 7:30pm

The Blues Healers – Trniity Beach Sports Club, 7:30pm

Arj Barker – CPAC, 8:00pm

Carinda Chrisite - The Parkview Hotel, 8:30pm

Big Noise – Bar36 Reef Hotel Casino, 9:00pm

PolyMantra – Machans Beach Community Hall, 6:00pm

Infinity Duo – Davies Park Mareeba, 6:00pm

Sax Man – Coral Beach Lodge Port Douglas, 6:00pm

Kim Settle – Cazalys Cairns, 6:15pm

Big Pups – Arcadia Village Hotel, 7:00pm

Skye Karaoke – Smithfield Tavern, 7:00pm

Keith Eales – Roo Bar and Grill, 7:00pm

Kaweyova – Rattle N Hum Cairns, 8:00pm

Rowly – Red Beret Hotel, 8:00pm

Wild Willy – The Jack, 9:00pm

Fingerprint – Bar36 Reef Hotel Casino, 9:00pm

Sunday Sesh – German Club Cairns, 2:00pm

Sax Man – O’Donnells Café Bar, 3:00pm

Bobby Maguire - Sauce Brewing Co., 3:30pm

Justin Wellington – Bar36 Reef Hotel Casino, 7:30pm