Cairns' premier annual celebration. Cairns is a very special part of the world and undoubtedly one of Australia's most popular destinations for holiday visitors. Renowned across the globe for our World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest, but scratch the surface and you will also discover a region buzzing with arts and culture. Cairns Festival is an annual 10-day celebration of art, culture and the beauty of living in tropical North Queensland. The biggest event on the Cairns calendar, Cairns Festival delivers a vibrant, progressive and collaborative festival. Providing a platform to engage locals and visitors alike by exploring our unique sense of place, diverse heritage and distinct tropical lifestyle. Since its inception in 1961, Cairns Festival continues to proudly showcase the breadth and depth of our local creatives, as well as brings world-class national and international performers to the region.