General News
24 March, 2026
Events mark key highlight
FOURTEEN community events celebrating culture, sport and local connection will be held this year as part of Cairns 150 festivities.
Cairns Basketball will host the 2026 under-14 boys state championships, giving local young athletes the rare chance to compete at state level at home while drawing over 3000 visitors and generating an estimated $3.6 million in economic benefit.
The Cairns Diwali Mela (Fair), Songkran Festival, Thai Cultural Loy Krathong Festival and Cairns Filipino Barrio Fiesta will each create a vibrant and immersive showcase of culture, strengthening local understanding and community pride.
NAIDOC Friday in the Park, delivered by Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good and the Edor Carnival by Our Future Mentors Indigenous Corporation, create powerful spaces for youth participation and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture.
Much-loved neighbourhood events will also be supported through the grant stream, such as the Gordonvale Sugar Solstice Country Fair, Freshwater Festival, Redlynch Twilight Markets and Marlin Coast Community Fun Day.
Cr Brett Moller (Div.1) said the grants, totalling $182,950, showed council supporting a cross section of organisations and people “and the multicultural nature of our city”.
“It’s great to see these organisations putting on community events and it’s appropriate that our council support them,” he said.
“For me, the Gordonvale Chamber of Commerce’ Solstice Country Fair in Gordonvale has grown in stature.
“Pleasingly, we’ve increased that funding to support because it is a growing event out there, over 3000 people and wonderful for Gordonvale … and the Babinda Harvest Festival, celebrating the sugar industry and the importance of the agribusiness industry to those small towns”.
Cr Rhonda Coghlan (Div. 8) said it was great also to see the events spread across the city, from Babinda to Palm Cove.
“Seeing the Marlin Coast Neighbourhood Centre running a family fun day, that’s the epitome of what we do in Cairns. That’s how the community does get together. And the Northern Beaches Mud Crabs is running a sevens competition that they haven’t done for a few years.
“So it’s also good to see so many multicultural events in the city and on the Esplanade with the Thai community, the Filipino community, many, many more. And I love attending those events and it’s great to see the colour and the vibrancy that it brings to our city.”
Funded events and organisations:
Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation – Cairns NAIDOC Friday in the Park ($25,000)
UMI Arts Limited – Big Talk One Fire Cultural Festival ($25,000)
Cairns Thai Community Association FNQ Inc – Songkran Festival ($20,000)
Philippine Cultural Society of Cairns Inc – Cairns Filipino Barrio Fiesta ($20,000)
Cairns Hindu Samaj Inc – Cairns Diwali Mela (Fair) ($16,000)
QCWA Branch Freshwater – Freshwater Festival ($12,000)
Cairns Basketball Inc – 2026 U14 Boys State Championships ($10,000)
Gordonvale District Chamber of Commerce Inc – Gordonvale Sugar Solstice Country Fair ($10,000)
Our Future Mentors Indigenous Corporation – Cairns NAIDOC EDOR Carnival ($10,000)
Redlynch Valley Community Group – Redlynch Community Twilight Markets ($6,200)
Marlin Coast Neighbourhood Centre Inc – Community Fun Day ($4,000)
Northern Beaches Mudcrabs Rugby Union Club Inc – Mudcrabs 7s Tournament ($4,000)
HeartKids Limited – Two Feet & A Heartbeat ($150)
