Regional Events Calendar 2017

January 2017 Date

Event

Details

26 January

Great Australian Bites – Port Douglas

Great Australian Bites is a FREE outdoor daytime event held on Australia Day, from 11am to 3.30pm at Rex Smeal Park, Port Douglas. Enjoy sensational pop up food stalls from local restaurants, live music from local talents and a variety of fun activities for all ages. Licensed bars will also operate throughout the day.

28 January

Chinese New Year

Grafton Street lights up with the annual Chinese New Year Festival street parade which includes a lion dance, market stalls and food.

February 2017

MARCH 2017 Date

Event

Details

4 – 5 March

Port Douglas Sevens

Day of Sevens in the Tropics, whilst the tournament has come from humble beginnings it has grown substantially each year and will become the significant Rugby event in the North of Queensland.

23 – 28 March

Feast of the Senses

The Feast of the Senses in North Queensland’s premier tropical fruit event! Over the 9 day program, visitors will able to see, touch, taste, and smell the amazing ultra tropical fruit and food that comes from this vibrant region.

APRIL 2017 Date

Event

Details

1 – 2 April

2017 BMX National Series

National series returns to Cairns.

21 – 23 April

Undara Outback Rock & Blues Festival

This April, for the 11th year in a row, Undara Experience is set to erupt with the Undara Outback Blues weekend. With five artists and performers over three days, this is a weekend to suit fans of all music genres.

22 – 23 April

Yungaburra Triathlon

The Yungaburra Triathlon will draw participants and spectators to the picturesque Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland to help raise funds for our wounded warriors and awareness of the Soldier On organisation.

MAY 2017 Date

Event

Details

6 – 7 May

Mt Garnet Races & Rodeo

Mt Garnet Races & Rodeo is a family fun day for people of all ages and will include market stalls, historic displays and car shows, as well as group games and activities.

13 – 14 May

Herberton Pioneers weekend

Showcasing over two days the unique aspects of this vintage village.

16 – 20 May

Quicksilver Port Douglas Race Week

Race the winds in paradise in this action sailing event held over four days.

19 – 21 May

Great Wheelbarrow Race

A Competitors gruel it out over 140km raising money for a good cause as individuals or in teams..

25 – 28 May

Great Barrier Reef Masters Games

Close to 2,000 masters-aged men and women from Australia, Oceania and South East Asia are expected to converge on stunning Tropical North Queensland to take part in this iconic sporting event. This exciting multi-sport event will see participants compete in over 20 different individual and team sports across four days of competition.

26 – 28 May

Port Douglas Carnivale

Celebrates everything wonderful about tropical North QLD featuring music, art, wine and food and more.

JUNE 2017 Date

Event

Details

3 June

UFO Festival

UFO Festival held Annually in Cardwell full of intergalactic fun and excitement for the whole family.

TBC

Green Island Nationals

The Green Island Nats will be an Open category event, and 2017 AWA Australian Championship titles will be awarded in Slalom, Freestyle and Freerace disciplines from the overall results of competition held during the Green Island Nats.

5 – 13 June

Cairns Airport Adventure Festival

The festival features: IRONMAN 70.3 Cairns, Coral Coast Triathlon, RRR Mountain Bike Challenge, Great Barrier Reef Ocean Challenge, Quicksilver Reef Swim – Green Island, The Cairns Post Run for Cairns and McDonalds IRONKIDS Cairns.

TBC

Weipa Fishing Classic

Three-day event in Weipa attracting tourists and locals as theytry their luck for the ‘big one’.

9 – 11 June

Cooktown Discovery Festival

A celebration of arts, culture, family and the coming together of Australia’s indigenous people and the European explorers led by Captain James Cook.

24 – 30 June

Cairns to Karumba Bike Ride

Road riders tackle the 780km that divide Cape York from Cairns to Karumba while mountain bike riders take on the outback tracks, rivers and creeks and explore the diverse landscape.

30 June – 2 July

Laura Dance Festival

The Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival is an exciting biennial gathering in Cape York Peninsula, highlighting the many diverse Communities, language, song, dance and stories. Witness the passing on of Culture across the generations, along with showcasing the strength, pride and uniqueness of Aboriginal people.

JULY 2017 Date

Event

Details

30 June – 2 July

Laura Dance Festival

The Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival is an exciting biennial gathering in Cape York Peninsula, highlighting the many diverse Communities, language, song, dance and stories. Witness the passing on of Culture across the generations, along with showcasing the strength, pride and uniqueness of Aboriginal people.

1 – 16 July

Mareeba Rodeo and Festival

Top level competition and entertainment gives spectators plenty to watch over 2 days of full-on action form 7:30am each day.

TBC

Oak Park Races

Weekend of races and entertainment, the races have been held for over 100 years. It is an action packed family weekend with accommodation available.

7 – 30 July

Queensland Musical Festival

Queensland Music Festival will included events in 15 locations, spreading from Tropical North Queensland to the New South Wales border. The 2017 program, to be announced in May, will showcase artists performing in new, trailblazing events that help to display the power of music and bridge the gap between Queensland’s rural and urban populations.

8 July

Professional Bull Riders

Twenty-two riders all eager for glory as they strive to overcome the power of the 52 most extreme bucking bulls in a head to head battle of power, agility and the fight of the fittest 8 seconds at a time.

JULY 2017 Cont. Date

Event

Details

14 – 16 July

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) is a unique day event that merges an art market with a celebration of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture.

15 July

UMI Arts Big Talk One Fire Indigenous Cultural Festival

Big Talk One Fire is UMI Art’s widely anticipated signature event where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture explodes with the rhythmic beat of island drums, the sound of clap sticks, tunes of musicians and an array of arts and crafts.

16 July

NRL Premiership

Round 19: South Sydney RABBITOHS vs North Queensland COWBOYS

19 – 21 July

Cairns Show

Regional Show.

22 July

AFL Premiership Match

Round 18: Western Bulldogs vs Gold Coast SUNS

29 – 30 July

Cairns Relay for Life

Relay for Life is a fun and moving overnight experience that raises vital funds for the Cancer Council’s research, prevention, information and support services.

AUGUST 2017 Date

Event

Details

11 – 13 August

Taste Port Douglas

Taste Port Douglas is Tropical North Queensland’s annual premier food, beverage and restaurant event. The aim is to champion the producers, the restaurateurs, chefs and industry trailblazers to a national and ultimately international stage, against the glorious backdrop of tropical paradise.

TBC

Great Pyramid Race and Country Fair

The Great Pyramid Race is a free family event run by The Great Pyramid Race and Country Fair Association Inc. as a service to the local community . The race has become an annual event where some of the finest and fittest present themselves and strive to concur this formidable mountain in unbelievable record times.

122 August

Cairns Cup

The Cairns Cup is a headline event of the Cairns social calendar and a major highlight each year for the local racing industry and one of the best things to do in Cairns.

19 August

Miss Muddy

Miss Muddy is a female only obstacle and mud festival with a course of up to 5km from participants aged 13 years and over. Full of mud, colour, climbing, crawling, slipping, sliding a lots of laughter, this un-times course is about women supporting women in a fun and non-threatening environment.

TBC

Cairns Ukulele Festival

Cairns is the place to be for ukulele lovers and music lovers alike the last weekend of August. The Cairns Ukulele Festival is a multi-day festival that brings people from all over the globe and from all walks of life and ages together to enjoy and make music.

25 August – 3 September

Cairns Festival

Celebration of our community with an emphasis on showcasing our amazing local talent.

SEPTEMBER 2017 Date

Event

Details

25 August – 3 September

Cairns Festival

Celebration of our community with an emphasis on showcasing our amazing local talent.

1 – 2 September

Cairns Amateurs

The Cairns Amateurs Racing Carnival is four days of fun, fashion, glamour, food and entertainment built around two days of horse racing each year.

3 September

Ona Mission Multisport adventure

The popular North Queensland event which features rainforest and beach running, mountain biking, ocean paddling and trailing running up Dunk Island’s Mt Kootaloo.

5 – 10 September

2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

The 2017 event will feature over 300 riders from 35 countries competing in the cross country (XCO) and Downhill (DHI) disciplines.

SEPTEMBER 2017 Cont. Date

Event

Details

16 – 18 September

Cardiac Challenge

The 333km ride experience takes place in the dramatically varying terrain of Tropical North Queensland in an ‘up close and personal way’.

16 – 23 September

Croc Trophy

One of the world’s hardest and longest mountain biking adventures covers 770km across the Atherton Tablelands to historic mining towns in the outback. The race showcases the mountain bike trails of Ride Cairns.

TBC

Sail Cairns

Sail Cairns heralds in a new era of sailing, and embraces out long history in a time honored competition for the prize of The Festival Cairns Cup, Mayors Challenge Trophy.

TBC

Tropical Mardi Gras

Every October, Cairns Tropical Pride welcomes visitors from around the world for 10 days of play in the gorgeous environment of Tropical North Queensland.

29 September – 1 October

Atherton Bike Fest

Bike Fest is the biggest and oldest mountain bike stage race in the world for individual participants. Come and watch a stage finish (Sunday) and start (Monday) and mingle with international riders.

OCTOBER 2017 Date

Event

Details

29 September – 1 October

Atherton Bike Fest

Bike Fest is the biggest and oldest mountain bike stage race in the world for individual participants. Come and watch a stage finish (Sunday) and start (Monday) and mingle with international riders.

TBC

Tropical Mardi Gras

Every October, Cairns Tropical Pride welcomes visitors from around the world for 10 days of play in the gorgeous environment of Tropical North Queensland.

5 – 7 October

Opera in the Outback

As the sun slowly sinks below the distant horizon of the beautiful eastern Gulf Savannah, the stage is set for some of Australia’s most accomplished operatic performers to deliver the unforgettable experience that is Opera in the Outback. Ooramin Place Amphitheatre at Undara Experience is the site of this annual iconic event now in its 15th year.

5 – 8 October

Reef Feast

Reef Feast is the definitive gourmet food event in Tropical North Queensland. Reef Feast 2017 will celebrate the wonderful lifestyle of Tropical North Queensland, our magnificent Great Barrier Reef and its abundant seafood, the diversity of our tropical and native produce and our enviable relaxed laid-back lifestyle.

OCTOBER 2017 Cont. Date

Event

Details

7 October

Babinda Harvest Festival

Annual event celebrating the region, its people and the start of the sugar cane harvest.

TBC

Gravitate

Experience the best mountain biking in TNQ during 2 exciting weekends of events.

TBC

Taste of Tablelands

The Atherton Tablelands presents the ultimate garden party with farmers from across the region selling their produce and chefs competing to serve up the best dish. Enjoy a local wine with lunch while the children make the most of their special activities.

21 – 22 October

Tropical Journey Great Barrier Reef Marathon

Choose from five different races - 74km JCU Ultramarathon, 42kmSteve Moneghetti marathon, Sheraton Mirage half marathon, 10km and 5km. Race, stay and play..

OCTOBER 2017 Cont. Date

Event

Details

22 October

Kuranda Festival

Cairns has always been big on festivals and with tourists always on the lookout for fresh and fun things to do in Cairns, it’s not a mystery why. One yearly festival should be a fantastic weekend for all Kuranda Festival.

TBC

Port Shorts

A breathtaking location, the platform to showcase Australia’s best short films and two of Australia’s most accomplished film exponents sharing their knowledge with emerging filmmakers – the Port Shorts Film Festival is a feast for the senses.

26 – 29 October

Tablelands Folk Festival

Celebrating music, friendship and cultural understanding, the Tablelands Folk Festival is the longest running folk festival in Queensland. Held in Yungaburra heritage village, surrounded by rainforest and crater lakes, it features family entertainment over four days

29 October

Rugby League World Cup

Double Header: Scotland v Tonga and Ireland v Italy Barlow Park

NOVEMBER 2017 Date

Event

Details

11 November

Rugby League World Cup

Samoa v Scotland Barlow Park

9 – 12 November

Port Douglas Marlin Challenge

The annual Port Douglas Marlin Challenge is held during the first weeks of November each year. Anglers from all over Australia and the world come to Port Douglas to undertake the challenge of fishing for one of the ocean's greatest prizes, the Marlin.

DECEMBER 2017 Date

Event

Details

TBC

2017 Ribbon Festival

Ribbons Game Fishing Club, a not for profit Ladies only game fishing club based in Cairns hosts one of the worlds biggest Ladies only Game Fishing tournaments and attracts anglers (professional and amateur) from all over the country fishing onboard some of the best game fishing vessels in the world.

24 December

Christmas Eve

25 December

Christmas Day

26 December

Boxing Day