What's On Tablelands October Issue | Page 8

What ’ s happening in Kuranda ?

Kuranda Festival

Kuranda will become an outdoor Big Top when the Circus Comes to Town on Sunday October 23 for plenty of free entertainment at Kuranda Festival .

Tourism Kuranda Executive Officer Marc Sleeman said Dream State Circus would give an action-packed performance with acrobatics , juggling and incredible fire manipulation , with youth performers Diamond Duo showcasing their amazing juggling and aerial skills .

“ Any youngster who wants to join the circus should join the free Cairns Youth Circus Arts School ( CYCAS ) workshops teaching circus skills including stilt walking , uni-cycling , diabolos , poi , plates , juggling , hula hoops , acro-balance , clowning , aerial and much more ,” he said .

“ Celebrating the 128th anniversary of the official survey of Kuranda , Kuranda Festival emphasises the friendly , laid-back atmosphere of the Village in the Rainforest with five solid hours of free family entertainment from 10am to 3pm .

“ There will be free jumping castles and face painters , a magic show , horse and carriage rides , free mini golf , art displays , Djabugay dance performance and lolly making demonstrations plus activities all over the village from the two markets to Centenary Park , to the main street and down to the Barron River .

“ Teams are already getting together to practise for the hotly contested Bash of the Barron River Raft Race , and I ’ m sure there are plenty of kids willing to nominate for the Ice Cream Eating Competition featuring the delicious flavours of the Kuranda Home-made Tropical Fruit Ice Cream van ”.

“ The popular German Sausage Eating Competition will be on again with competitors scoffing as many as eight sausages in just 10 minutes and the Mad Hatter ’ s Tea Party is back this year where you can enjoy tea and cakes in the quirky atmosphere of the Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets .

“ There will be art & craft workshops for children to create their own “ Mad Hat ” for the tea party and four face painters will be transforming children ’ s faces into clowns and Mad Hatters with the best design being judging at the Heritage Markets .

“ Kuranda Festival is a great community event celebrating the colourful lifestyle we enjoy sharing with visitors to our village in the rainforest ”.

Two textile artists from the Kuranda Arts Co-op , Dorothy Clews and Toni Rogers , will be conducting a community weaving of banners to celebrate the Kuranda Festival from 10am outside the Arts Co-operative Gallery on Coondoo Street , Kuranda . The community is invited to join them in this project . Materials will be provided , but if you wish to bring your own yarn , string , tape or long fabric strips ( 5-8 mm wide ) to add to the weaving , you are most welcome . The finished banners will be installed in the Kuranda Library after the festival for a short time so that everyone can enjoy them . Poets Breakfast – Calling All Poets

If you can ’ t wait for Kuranda Festival to start then get started earlier by Sharing the Spoken Word at the Poets Breakfast at 8am at Frogs Restaurant . Breakfast and coffee will be served , and you will be entertained by Kuranda ’ s finest wordsmiths , songwriters and entertainers until 9.30am . It ’ s an open microphone format , so if you would like to stand up with your poem or song , please contact Cathy at the Kuranda Visitor Information Centre on 0407 758 645 .

Mike Elrington Live in Kuranda

Mike Elrington will be performing songs from his new album Two Lucky Stars at the Petite Café from 5pm for a lovely Sunday Session on October 2 . After 15 years , 7 full length albums , over 1000 shows all over the world , a beautiful 2 year-old daughter and a brand spanking new bouncing baby boy , you ’ d be forgiven for thinking that Australian blues / roots musician Mike Elrington would slow things down some , even just for a little while . But , with the release of his first completely acoustic LP , Two Lucky Stars and an East Coast Australian tour in the works , that ’ s clearly not the case . Comprising of 14 tracks , Two Lucky Stars sees Elrington dig deep with trademark raw passion and a no-holds barred honesty , delivering listeners a heartfelt and eclectic mix of blues , roots , folk & swamp-rock . The album was produced by ARIA-award winning Peter “ Reggie ” Bowman , and features the talents of Chris Wilson on vocals and harmonica , Roderick McLeod on drums / percussion , Catherine Quirk and Michelle Meehan on violin and cello and extra vocal duties from June Harrison , Chase Bowman and Michelle Meehan . For more details contact Adam on 5221 4848 , or visit www . mikeelrington . com .

Kuranda Community Events : Every Thursday : Tae Kwon Do and Self Defense 6.30pm CWA Hall Phone [phone] , Yoga Kuranda Amphitheatre from 9 to 11am . Every Wednesday : Craft & Social Morning at QCWA Hall 9am . Karate from 6.15pm at Koah Hall phone [phone] . Yoga from 6pm at the Kuranda Recreation Centre . Every Saturday : Kuranda Envirocare Tree Planting , see www . envirocare . org . au . 3rd Sundays : Kuranda Film Society 4 to 8pm at the Kuranda Recreation Centre . Every Monday : Kids Aerial Circus at Kuranda Amphitheatre ,

bookings essential 0424 928 917 , starts 3.30pm . Lots of Fun !

Any events missing ? Send them to us , the more the merrier ! List events FREE editor @ wowtogo . com . au

Wotta Bout Fish ‘ n ’ Chips

• Locally caught fish

• Fresh made to order

• Gluten free chips

BP Complex - Rob Veivers Dr , Kuranda . 4093 9529