Festival Cairns 2009

Tuesday, 18 August 2009 21:10

I am absolutely delighted with this year's festival program that has been put together by the Council under the coordination of Council staff member, Belinda Griffin. When I first expressed concern that no festival in this region was seen as being nationally significant, that we needed to revitalise Festival Cairns, that it seemed we weren't quite sure about who we are, what makes us distinctively different or what what it is that we want to celebrate, I copped some criticism from a number of quarters. I think the denigrators will be eating their words when the festival ends on 5th September. Despite only taking on the festival in February this year, the Council team, with the help of some wonderful sponsors, businesses, community groups and the general public has pulled together a program that has something for everyone: visual arts, theatre, music, food, special events and family entertainment. At the heart of the new look festival is a celebration of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures with the inaugural Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. Many of the events are free so make sure that you get out your diaries and see how much of this feast of the senses you can squeeze in over the 16 days.