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North Queensland Festivals 2015 MACKAY FESTIVAL OF ARTS 2015 DATE Launching May 23 The Festival of Arts is a 10 day program covering a variety of arts, music, theatre, family events, food, wine and more. The Festival program will include the ever popular Wine and Food Day, a bigger and bolder Jazz Brunch, the new and improved Masked Burlesque Lounge and the hottest ticket in town, the Progressive Dinner. AIRPORT BEACH HORSE RACING FESTIVAL DATE August 6-9 Race day: Saturday August 8 (10-6pm) WEB mackaybeachhorseracing.com.au The Mackay Airport Beach Horse Racing Festival is a unique combination of events surrounding the festival highlight, The Mackay Airport Beach Race Day. More than seven thousand people are expected to converge on Mackay Harbour Beach on Saturday 8 August 2015 to witness the fourth annual running of this exciting spectacle.
GROOVIN’ THE MOO DATE May 10 WEB www.2015.gtm.net.au May will mark the seventh anniversary of this dynamic youth festival held at Murray Sports Complex attracting thousand of locals and tourists to Townsville! GTM is Australia's only regional national touring music event and Townsville is one of six licensed all ages events on the tour and features a number of artists (including at least 10 international) who perform over 12 hours of music, across an outdoor double stage and the Moolin Rouge Big Top.
DATE September 12 WEB www.sarinafestival.com.au This event showcases the region of Sarina. An annual one day event bringing together the arts, culture and entertainment. Market stalls line the closed street to allow easy access. Live music performed by local artists keep the crowd entertained. A variety of food is on offer from retail shops and vendors. TOWNSVILLE 10 DAYS IN THE TOWERS DATE April 24 - May 3 The 10 Days in The Towers Festival brings the historic town of Charters Towers to life in a very unique way. Staged during the last week of April and the first week of May each year, 10 Days in The Towers is a celebration of many things. To the fore is the sound of country music which can be heard daily in the town's many hotel bars and on the streets of the central business district as the popular buskers entertain shoppers and passers-by.
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DATE August 15, festival activities from August 19-23 WEB www.culturalfest.org Beneath the clear and sunny winter skies of Townsville, Townsville Cultural Fest celebrates the depth and diversity of Australian culture with ever increasing jubilation. Local and international acts will take to Jezzine Park, offering everything from folk, rock and pop, to Indigenous Australian music, African drum troupes, Pacific Islands, Middle Eastern and Latin dance groups.
CASTROL EDGE TOWNSVILLE 400 V8’S DATE July 10-12 WEB www.v8supercars.com.au The V8 Supercars will bring Rock and Race back to North Queensland with Friday and Saturday night concerts for the first time since 2011, flying Birds of Tokyo and The Living End to Townsville from their overseas bases for the event. All the off-track entertainment will be complemented by five on-track categories including the V8 Supercars, the debut of the internationally acclaimed Formula 4 Championship, expanded Disney Zone and return of the gigantic Super Top to Reid Park. The new-look Disney Zone for kids will be fully equipped with an ice rink, massive inflatables, interactive zones, a race-track and life-size replica of Lightning McQueen. All children 12 and under will receive free entry with a paying adult.
SARINA FESTIVAL
TOWNSVILLE CULTURAL FEST
BURDEKIN WATER FESTIVAL DATE July, August and September WEB www.burdekinwaterfestival.com.au The Burdekin Water Festival is a celebration of the abundance of water in the district. It is one of the longest running festivals in Queensland, with the first festival being held on 6 September 1958. The celebrations include a wide variety of exciting events that encompass the whole community. For more information on events held as part of the Burdekin Water Festival visit the official website. TASTES OF THE BURDEKIN DATE July 18 Part of the Burdekin Water Festival, Tastes of the Burdekin is a celebration of food and the many cultures that make up the Burdekin community. A celebrity chef will perform a cooking demonstration and this year the traditional cook off will be a cook off with a difference. Food stalls run by individuals and organisations will sell food to the public and there will be a night full of family entertainment.
GLENCORE GREEK FEST DATE October 10-11 WEB www.greekfest.com.au Glencore Greek Fest is a unique event which embraces both Greek and Australian cultures through music, dance, cuisine, fun and games. It is a family event which provides a safe and friendly environment. The festival is one of the few free entry cultural/arts events remaining in the region. CAIRNS TANKS CHILDRENS FESTIVAL DATE/TIME May 10, 9am-5pm Following the highly successful inaugural festival last year, Sunday May 10 will mark the second Cairns Children’s Festival whereby Tanks Arts Centre will present a dedicated and diverse children’s one day programme, with a thematic focus of "Out of this World". THE ROTARY FNQ FIELD DAYS
MAGNETIC ISLAND BAY DAYZ FESTIVAL DATE September 5 - October 5 WEB www.facebook.com/ MagneticIslandFestivalBayDayz Magnetic Island bursts with more than 50 events and activities during the month -long Magnetic Island Bay Dayz Festival in September. The program will include island -wide competitions, the Rotary Beer Can Regatta, Morleys Spring Equinox Fair, one-off cultural events, Talk Like A Pirate Day, Movies Under The Stars, Mega Markets, the very popular Sand Sculpture Competition and Oktoberfest which is set right on picturesque Horseshoe Bay beach. Each of the four main bays and beaches on the island has events over the month. There are also outdoor movies, live music, art exhibitions, gallery openings, environmental walks and talks, workshops, restaurant discounts, health and beauty discounts - you name it, the Festival has something for everyone! TOWNSVILLE CARAVAN CAMPING EXPO PLUS HOME AND OUTDOOR LIVING IDEAS DATE September 11-13 WEB www.townsvilleexpo.com.au The 2015 event will be held once again at the Townsville Turf Club, Racecourse Road, Cluden. Featuring dozens of the latest and greatest caravans and camper trailers, motorhomes, boating, fishing and camping gear, products and services to enhance and improve our homes, lifestyles and outdoor living.
LOCATION Kerribee Park Rodeo Grounds, Mareeba DATE May 29 - 30 Held over two days on a bi-annual basis, the award-winning field days is the largest community event on the Tablelands.
Guugu Yimithirr and Kuku Yalanji people. For 50 years, the people of Cooktown have come together every June to celebrate this historic event by staging a fully costumed re-enactment of Cooks landing and his time spent in this tropical paradise with the local Bama (aboriginal people). CAIRNS AIRPORT ADVENTURE FESTIVAL DATE June 7 - 15 Set in one of the world's most iconic tropical locations, the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival features 10 jam-packed days of events for people of all ages and abilities including the Urban Hotel Group Ironman 70.3 Cairns, Coral Coast 5150, RRR Mountain Bike Challenge, Great Barrier Reef Ocean Challenge, Quicksilver Reef Swim - Green Island, The Cairns Post Run for Cairns and McDonalds Ironkids Cairns -a triathlon designed especially for kids! Plus there's plenty of entertainment with a free community concert. THE FESTIVAL OF THE KNOB LOCATION Yorkey’s Knob Community Centre (Wattle Street) DATE June 13 The Festival of the Knob offers live music and entertainers, jumping castles, giant slides, wandering clowns and a special kid’s swing set up by the SES. With a great variety of stalls including arts and crafts, massage, plants, books and second hand clothes, food and drink, raffles and historic displays. CAIRNS SHOW
KURANDA ROOTS FESTIVAL LOCATION The Billabong DATE June 12-13 WEB www.kurandaroots.com The Kuranda Roots Festival is one of the hidden gems of festivals that seems to host some of the best in Australian local talent. Add to that, the mixture of rainforest, hippy vibes and an entirely relaxed atmosphere and you have yourself the perfect long weekend away. This year for the very first time there will be limited tour and glamping packages available. Visit the website for more information. THE COOKTOWN DISCOVERY FESTIVAL DATE June 6 - 8 WEB www.cooktowndiscoveryfestival.com The Cooktown Discovery Festival is an annual event held in Cooktown to celebrate the landing of Lt. James Cook at the Endeavour River in 1770 and his meeting with the local
LOCATION Cairns Showgrounds DATE July 15-17 WEB www.cairnsshow.com.au The largest Regional Show outside of the EKKA provides three full days of family entertainment. With lots of ways for kids to be involved in the competitions and fun, there is so much to see and do. CAIRNS FESTIVAL LOCATION Various locations DATE August 24 – September 1 WEB www.cairnsfest.com.au The Cairns Festival delivers a vibrant, progressive and collaborative arts festival to engage with the community and recognise the cultural identity and celebrate the distinctive, tropical lifestyle. CAIRNS AMATEURS LOCATION Cannon Park Racecourse DATE September 10 - 12 WEB www.cairnsamateurs.org.au The Cairns Amateurs Racing Carnival is four days of fun, fashion, glamour, food and entertainment built around two days of horse racing.
Show Guide 2015 ATHERTON TABLELAND SHOW Atherton Tableland Agricultural Soc Inc 6-7 July 2015 BURDEKIN SHOW Ayr Pastoral Agricultural Society Inc 26-27 June 2015 BOWEN SHOW Bowen Pastoral Agricultural Assoc Inc 23 June 2015 CAIRNS SHOW Cairns Agric., Pastoral & Mining Assn 15-17 July 2015 CHARTERS TOWERS 26-28th July COOKTOWN SHOW Cooktown & District Country Show Soc. 24-25 July 2015 GIRU SHOW Giru Agricultural Hort & Indust Soc Inc 12 September 2015 INGHAM SHOW Herbert River Pastoral & Agric Ass Inc 30 June-01 July 2015 INNISFAIL SHOW Innisfail & District Show Society Inc 9-10 July 2015 MACKAY SHOW 23–25 June 2015 MALANDA SHOW Malanda Show Society Inc 3-5 July 2015 MOSSMAN SHOW Mossman and District Show Society Inc 19-20 July 2015 PROSERPINE SHOW Proserpine Agric, Past & Indus Assoc Inc 19-20 June 2015 SARINA SHOW 1–2 August TOWERS SHOW Towers Past, Agric & Mining Ass 26-28 July 2015 TOWNSVILLE SHOW Townsville Past. Agric. & Indust. Assoc. 3-6 July 2015 TULLY SHOW Tully & District Show soc Inc 24-25 July 2015
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