The season comprises more than 50 free and ticketed events spanning indigenous arts, culture, entertainment, food and a good dose of comedy.
Opening weekend headliners include Cairns Indigenous Art Fair at Tanks Arts Centre and Cairns Regional Gallery, an Opening Parade and Fireworks for 25,000+, a week of laughs from Scared Weird Little Guys, Kransky Sisters and Fiona O’Loughlin. Indonesian contemporary dance group, Nan Jombang, East Timorese musician Ego Lemos, and the Darwin Festival project, The First Astronomers, will bring the world to Cairns. Another highlight announced by Mayor Schier is Taste Paradise, a 10 day celebration of the region's food, wine, and culinary talent; featuring celebrity chefs Ben O’Donohue and Miguel Maestre to put the icing on the Festival cake.
"There is no place in the world like Cairns," remarked Mayor Schier, "And we are working hard to make a Festival that is unlike any other on the planet."
Hailed an unprecedented success in its first year, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair at Tanks Arts Centre and Cairns Regional Gallery returns in 2010 as a key event of Festival’s opening weekend and is joined by multi-cultural celebrations, Tropical Wave Festival and the UMI Arts Big Talk One Fire events at the Esplanade. Both feature an extended program of performances and market stalls culminating in the colourful fanfare of Cairns Festival’s traditional Grand Parade on Saturday 21 August followed by a free open-air concert and spectacular fireworks.
Esplanart 2010, another one of last year’s inaugural successes is back with 10 new commissions by local visual artists. This series of temporary art installations will be situated along the southern part of Cairns Esplanade giving passers-by a wonderful visual impact and fresh enhancement of the beloved landscape. The outdoor art is joined by nearly ten exhibitions and visual art programs at Festival participants, KickArts and Cairns Regional Gallery.
The first weekend of Cairns Festival will also herald the start of a new cultural representation project, Opening Notes TNQ. Driven by Cairns Regional Council and local sponsor Cairns Penny Savings Bank, Opening Notes TNQ will welcome every baby born in the region -- 4,000 each year -- with a musical CD and booklet of north Queensland creative content, given on the day of birth at the place of birth. A partnership with dozens of local musicians, artists, and Queensland Health, this project also indicates a new community engagement ethic for the Festival.
"When I give out the first Opening Notes package to the first child born on August 20, it will contain songs and images made by people from throughout the region," said Mayor Schier, "That small gift will be a welcome from all of us, and an indication of their cultural and creative inheritance."
Music has a strong presence this year with performances by Australia’s much loved brother and sister folk duo, Angus and Julia Stone. Indigenous East Timorese artist, Ego Lemos will perform at the Tanks Art Centre while the world-renowned Australian concert pianist, David Helfgott, whose life inspired the Oscar-winning film Shine, will offer a recital at Cairns Civic Theatre.
The Civic Theatre will also present quality entertainment and family fun in the form of The Carnival of the Animals performed by local classical musicians, Paradise Concerts in partnership with Cairns Concert Orchestra and will feature internationally acclaimed soloists. The classical concert extravaganza will be narrated by Lillian Crombie, actress from epic film Australia.
Cairns Regional Council’s Festival producer Eric Holowacz said planning is well underway to throw Cairns its biggest, most dynamic Festival yet.
“Cairns is an extraordinary community, melding many cultures: from its rich Indigenous heritage to Italian communities to vibrant influences of the Asia Pacific. Our program has been created to resonate with this diversity while appealing to artists and visitors from around Australia and beyond.”
Dance fans can enjoy a wide range of genres from The Nutcracker performed by the Imperial Russian Ballet to Torres Strait Island dance group, Grrilla Step fronted by legendary Australian, DJ Dexter, to Stomp the Nard, the regions’ largest and most energetic dance battle showcasing at the Cairns Esplanade skate park and The Pier parking lot.
Performing arts are strongly represented in Cairns Festival’s program with The Impossible Dream celebrating its launch at the Shangri-La Hotel. The first in a series of three locally produced plays, When the wheels Fall off the World will perform at the Botanic Gardens and a beautiful song cycle by nationally acclaimed Indigenous singer Megan Sarmardin, who focuses on the strengths of family in overcoming extreme odds in Blackbird at JUTE Theatre.
"Festivals are about ideas. They reflect who we are, and offer new frames of reference on the world," said Holowacz. "Cairns Festival is endowed with a wealth of new ideas and new reflections about what life is like here in Tropical North Queensland. Join us as our creative process unfolds."
Cairns Festival is supported and presented by Cairns Regional Council. Now the region's largest annual cultural celebration, this year's festival season will run from 20 August to 5 September at venues all over Cairns. The full program, and information about events and activities, will be available in late July. For more information and a full media kit, visit www.cairnsfest.com.au
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