Great Barrier Reef Festival is an annual celebration of the Great Barrier Reef and showcase of the Whitsunday lifestyle and community in the "heart of the reef" – Airlie Beach. The region's favourite festival will take over the vibrant tourist hub of Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday islands, over the first weekend of August. The event is a delicious combination of family fun, reef focused environmental and art initiatives, destination events, local food and culture and some of the biggest beach parties in the tropical north. The 4-day festival will feature a fun-filled program of events including the Coral Sea Marina Lantern Parade, Great Barrier Reef interactive workshops and installations, a Comedy Gala, massive reef-themed street parade, main streetcar show, a wearable art parade and Recyclable Regatta and free family fun activities on Airlie Foreshore. The not-to-be-missed Fireworks on the Foreshore will ignite the skies over the Coral Sea, on the biggest night on the Whitsunday calendar, complete with night markets, food stalls, carnival rides and street performers and the popular Pop-up Beach Bar. The Beach Music stage will be pumping out live entertainment throughout the weekend. Immerse yourself in the festival art installation of reef-themed animations and sculptures that transform iconic features of the town into an underwater reef wonderland over the festival weekend.