Cairns events: Cairns Festival, Cairns Cup, Red Bull Defiance, Innisfail Autofest this weekend

Get ready to be spoiled for choice this weekend with a parade, fireworks, shows, sport, fashion and food lined up for the Far North. Here’s your guide to what’s on.

Alison Paterson and Arun Singh Mann

2 min read

August 26, 2022 - 12:00AM

The Cairns Post

Cairns

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THE Far North will be centre stage this weekend as a flurry of events entice locals and visitors to get out and get involved.

From the glitz, glamour and colour on show for the Cairns Cup and Cairns Festival, to the grit, sweat and smoke that will fire up the Cassowary Coast sporting events, thousands of punters, collectively are expected to turn out for the jam-packed weekend.

Australia's most outrageous organ player Barry Morgan will bring his unique brand of musical humour to this year's Cairns Festival. Mr. Morgan, real name Stephen Teakle, will perform on the courthouse gallery stage on Friday and Sunday nights, while the Cairns Rock and Roll Dance Club will entertain the crowds at the festival's grand parade on Saturday. Picture: Brendan Radke

Cairns Festival kicks off on Friday with Barry Morgan bringing his comedy organ music show to the Courthouse front lawn on Abbott St from 7.30pm.

Mr Morgan, who likens his gigs to being more of a live organ infomercial, first rose to stardom via music show Spicks and Specks a decade ago.

“I plan on wearing my powder blue terry-towelling safari suit which has Versace buttons while I play, the Hammond,” he said.

Families can check out the Great Barrier Reef thanks to Reef Light, a must-see virtual under-the-sea illumination which is on show at the Esplanade every night of the Cairns Festival.

Cairns Esplanade will host a street parade of dazzling entertainment when the Cairns Festival Diamond Jubilee Grand Parade commences at 5.30pm on Saturday. Everyone is invited to dress in sparkly attire at the parade and enjoy the spectacular fireworks display at 7.30pm.

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The action moves to Cannon Park on Saturday afternoon when the Cairns Cup will build on the excitement which kicked off last Saturday’s Cairns Cup Ladies Day.Gates open from 11am.

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On the Cassowary Coast, thousands of North Queenslanders will boost the Innisfail economy as revheads fire up their engines at the inaugural Innisfail Autofest.

Autofest Australia operations manager Les Adams said the family-orientated event was likely to attract between 3000-5000 people on Friday and Saturday.

“We do surveys at our events and find about 45 per cent are from out of the region, so it’s always great for a town like this,” he said.

For spectators, the event will begin at 5.30pm on Friday, and then resumes at 9am on Saturday at Mundoo Airport. Tickets for a two-day pass are $55 for an adult or $90 for a family.

The Cassowary Coast’s rapidly-growing Indian community will host its expanding annual festival and sports day which first began as a small gathering in 2018.

Up to 500 guests are expected at the Goondi Sports Reserve at Innisfail on Saturday for the one-day event which features major sports cricket, soccer and volleyball as well as social competitions in tug of war, running races and traditional games forged in Indian villages “and forgotten” by newer generations.

It will also feature a concert with two Indian artists who arrived in the country earlier this week.

The event is free to the public, with free food and drinks and begins at 8am on Saturday.

Participants in a pervious Red Bull Defiance. Picture: Supplied

Red Bull Defiance is an adventure race that attracts many of the country’s best endurance athletes who will compete on the Cassowary Coast this weekend.

The event kicks off at South Mission Beach on Friday for formalities and concludes on Sunday, with a course stretching over 150km of the Cassowary Coast.