Buenos Nachos, The Cat Empire to perform at Cairns Festival

From comedy and cabaret to wine-tasting sessions and live entertainment, there will be something for everyone at the Cairns Festival. See what’s on.

Cairns acrobatic cabaret troupe Buenos Nachos will debut its new show, Madame After Dark, at this year's Cairns Festival, performing three shows at Bulmba-Ja from August 28 to 30. Nicci Reid-Bell, also known as Nina Supernova, has helped curate the new show Madame After Dark, designed to surprise and delight audiences. Picture: Brendan Radke

From comedy and cabaret to wine-tasting sessions and live entertainment, the Cairns Festival from August 29 to September 7 is set to go off with a bang.

The week-long festival will include a stellar line up of live performances including circus act Primal, jazz/funk band The Cat Empire, and comedy favourites Luke McGregor, and Merrick Watts who will present his hilarious wine-tasting experience: An Idiot’s Guide to Wine.

Cairns mayor Amy Eden said excitement for the festival was already building and the release of the ticketed line-up was just a teaser of what was to come.

Cairns acrobatic cabaret troupe Buenos Nachos will debut its new show, Madame After Dark, at this year's Cairns Festival, performing three shows at Bulmba-Ja from August 28 to 30. Renee Abery as Pickled Delight and Jenna Kenwright as Petit Meow will showcase their aerial and hoop talents to the new show Madame After Dark. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Cairns Festival is the biggest party on our city’s calendar and this year’s line-up is bold, fun and full of surprises,” Ms Eden said.

“We have got some brilliant new additions, plus much-loved favourites in the line-up, and I can tell you now, you will not want to miss a moment of it.”

Cairns acrobatic ensemble Buenos Nachos will present its adults-only show Madame After Dark at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre from August 28 to 30, which performer Nicci Reed-Bell described as ‘chaos cabaret’.

Cairns acrobatic cabaret troupe Buenos Nachos will debut its new show, Madame After Dark, at this year's Cairns Festival, performing three shows at Bulmba-Ja from August 28 to 30. (Clockwise from top) Gonzalo Lanza as Stravagonza, Renee Abery as Pickled Delight, Jenna Kenwright as Petit Meow, Sandra Schmidt as Miss Phoenix, Boki Smith as Boki, Carla Gelabert as Savage Water, Inga Kamps as Tweetylicious, Nicci Reid-Bell as Nina Supernova, Jime Jones as Perrita, Rachel Botros as Llamarama and Belu Ctignola as Bichi Boom will each bring their unique talents to the new show Madame After Dark. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It’s bright, colourful, loud, sexy, naughty – everything, it’s a sensory experience really,” Ms Reed-Bell said.

“There’s lots of circus sideshow acts, burlesque, cabaret, really impressive aerials and other kind of circus acrobatics and a lot of comedy – it’s really fun, silly and exciting.”

Family friendly highlights of the festival will include the popular Reef Lights, reimagined as Canvas of Cairns on the Esplanade, as well as a giant whale, roving DJs on tricycles and more, throughout the Esplanade and city.

The Cat Empire will headline an open-air concert at Munro Martin Parklands on August 31.

Tickets are available via the Cairns Festival website.

Originally published as Buenos Nachos, The Cat Empire to perform at Cairns Festival