Main Stage
Cairns Esplanade - Western Lawn
If variety is the spice of life, then the Cairns Festival Main Stage is the whole pantry... and then some.
For ten glorious nights, this is where the festival throws the rulebook out the window.
One minute you're belting out tunes with thousands of strangers, the next your line dancing at a Hoe Down, or perhaps watching the lines blur between cinema and live music or even finding yourself in the middle of a beautifully chaotic wearable art party rebellion.
And the best bit? It's all completely FREE.
So, where do you start? At the beginning of course!
🔥 Fri 28 Aug – Electric Fields + Tjaka + The Pad Boys
It all begins with a First Nations First line-up of boundary-pushing artists who are bringing genre-defying sounds, razor-sharp hip hop, high-energy electronic beats and powerful storytelling together in one unforgettable opening.
🎺 Sat 29 Aug – Caravãna Sun + Horns of Leroy + Hot Potato Band + Burger Joint
Sydneysiders CARAVÃNA SUN have built a renowned reputation across the globe for their dynamic and energetic live performances. Their infectious grooves which progressively merge their surfy coastal lifestyle with elements of explosive rock, euphoric electronica/dance and rambunctious reggae/ska have earned the band slots on some of the world’s most coveted stages.
🎉 Sun 30 Aug – SKA-B-Q (Free BBQ & Ska anyone?)
Then head over to SKA-B-Q, a dinner and a show! Somebody had the brilliant idea to combine a sizzling barbecue with the irresistible rhythms of ska music and a good old-fashioned blanket-on-the-grass vibe. Its picnic energy, big tunes, and frankly, we’re here for it.
🦕 Mon 31 Aug – Land Before Time kids movie night
🪩 Tue 1 Sep – Disco Bingo Trivia Night with Sassy Catz
There’s also a Disco Bingo Trivia Night, digging deep into Cairns’ rich music history with curly questions and just the right hit of nostalgia to send you hunting for your old band tee.
🎸 Wed 2 Sep – Silence of the Jams II +Sunday Mistake
If your tastes lean towards the wonderfully unexpected, Lack of Judgement Day is about to become your new obsession. Part offbeat cowboy film, part sci-fi fever dream and part live music concert, this genre-smashing spectacle sees the soundtrack performed live by a band and choir while the action unfolds on the big screen. It's impossible to explain properly... which is exactly why you should see it.
🤠Thu 3 Sep – Country Struts
Dust off your boots for the Honky Tonk line-dancing, where dancers of all stripes can kick up their heels and step into a few funky line-dancing moves.
🎨 Fri 4 Sep – Welcome to Cairnsland by VOiiiD Collective
Then there's VOiiiD Collective, blowing the doors off convention with a hyper-sensory collision of dance, sound, visual theatre and wearable art that is 80% recycled trash and 100% unapologetic. Think creative chaos. Think madness and mayhem. Think the kind of experience you'll still be talking about long after the festival wraps.
💥 Sat 5 Sep – Females to the Front ft. Blusher + Empress + Zipporah
The future never looked so… female! With Zipporah Anu, Empress and headline Blusher, this night we celebrate the best Australia has to offer, right on our Festival Hub Esplanade Main Stage.
🌊 Sun 6 Sep - Miss Tee Ketu Band + The Next Wave Band Showcase
Miss Tee Ketu Band to take us through to the end. Hailing from Cairns, this dynamic 8-piece band is fronted by Te Iria “Miss Tee” Ketu, a seasoned performer with over 25 years of live stage experience.
Presented by Enter Stage Right, The Next Wave showcases the next generation of original musicians from the Cairns region.
- Price
- Price Guide
- When
- Fri 28 Aug - Sun 6 Sep
- Start
- 6:00 pm
- Venue Opens
- Doors open
- Show time
- Interval
- Duration
- Various
- Venue
- Cairns Esplanade - Western Lawn
- Rating
- PG
- Seating
- Food
- Bar
- Companion Card
- Seating Plan
- Seating Plan
STAGE TIMES: The Esplanade Main Stage mostly kicks off from 6:00pm. On a few days, early bird shows may sneak in from around 2:00pm, but the main action happens in the evening, wrapping up somewhere between 8:30pm and 10:00pm. Full lineup and exact times coming soon - stay tuned.