Port Douglas Carnivale
Port Douglas Carnivale
18th to 27th May 2012
In 2012 Port Douglas Carnivale will have a new format for it’s 18th birthday!
The first weekend of Port Douglas Carnivale (18 – 20 May) will include the Longest Lunch, Palates of Port, Food Wine and a Taste of Port and the Seafood Extravaganza all held over the one weekend. This will be a weekend for food lovers not to be missed. Mid week the Exemplar Clipper Cup Regatta (23 – 27 May) sets sail for four days to race the winds of paradise.
Then to start the second weekend (25- 27 May) the Street Parade (25 May) with this years theme of heavenly bodies will draw the crowds as thousands line Macrossan and Wharf Streets to witness the biggest street parade in north Queensland. This years street parade theme is aligned with the highly anticipated total solar eclipse coming up on November 14th.
The spectacular Beach Day (26 May) will round off the weekend with a host of activities and the best fun under the tropical sun.
There will be lots of events during the week as well to make the 18th Port Douglas Carnivale a wonderful experience for both locals and visitors. See the 2012 Carnivale Programme below for more details of the fabulous events.
Mango Tree Carnivale Accommodation SPECIALS
Accommodation is always hard to find during Carnivale week and at The Mango Tree is offering great Port Douglas Holiday accommodation specials providing your Carnivale accommodation at special rates for a limited time only.
Port Douglas Carnivale accommodation specials
Stay for the whole 9 nights at just $75 per night
Or
Stay 3 nights over either weekend for just $99 per night
Fully self contained two bedroom apartment – inclusion in rate is 2 people additional charges apply for extra persons
2012 Carnivale Programme
Friday 18th – Day 1: Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch. A foodies four hour, four course food-a-thon. 11:30 – 3:30. Audi Palates of Port. 7:30 – 11:00 – at Flames of The Forest.
Saturday 19th – Day 2: Food, Wine & a Taste of Port. 5:30 – 11:00. Everyone’s favourite food and wine festival. Carnivale Tennis Cup. 1:00pm Port Douglas Tennis Club. Airing of the Quilts. 9:00 till 3:00 an exhibition of fabulous fabric art at Mossman Indoor Sports Centre. Windswell Freeride Sessions 8:00 till 5:00 Four Mile Beach, Kite Boarding, Stand up Paddle Boarding and water sports action. Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea 9:00 till 12:30 at Sheraton Mirage. Yalanji Arts 10:00 till 4:00 at Port Douglas Community Centre. An exhibition and sale of local indigenous art and artifacts.
Sunday 20th – Day 3: Meridien Seafood Extravaganza. 10:00 – 4:00. The bounty of the Coral Sea fresh for all to share at Meridien Marina. Carnivale Club LUSH Cabaret 8:00 till 11:00 at The Sugar Wharf. Windswell Freeride Sessions, Airing of The Quilts and Yalanji Arts.
Monday 21st – Day 4: Carnivale Golf Tournament Day 1, Mossman Golf Course. 8:00 – 5:00. Northern Fantasy Art and Photography Exhibition 10:00 till 6:00 at Port Douglas Community Centre. Carnivale Club Battle of The Sports 7:00 till 11:00 at The Sugar Wharf. Yalanji Arts.
Tuesday 22nd – Day 5: Carnivale Golf Tournament Day 2, Sea Temple Golf Course. 8:00 – 5:00. Carnivale Club Neptune’s Realm presented by Low Isles Preservation Society at The Sugar Wharf. Northern Fantasy Art and Photography Exhibition and Yalanji Arts.
Wednesday 23rd – Day 6: Carnivale Golf Tournament Day 2, Sheraton Mirage Golf Course. 8:00 – 5:00 Exemplar Clipper Cup Regatta Day 1, Port Douglas Yacht Club. Carnivale Club, 5 Senses Fashion 6:00 till 11:00 food, fashion art and music at The Sugar Wharf. Northern Fantasy Art and Photography Exhibition and Yalanji Arts.
Thursday 24 – Day 7: Exemplar Clipper Cup Regatta Day 2, Port Douglas Yacht Club. Carnivale Club, Sit Down Comedy Club 6:30 till 11:00 with Fiona OLoughlin head lining at The Sugar Wharf. Northern Fantasy Art and Photography Exhibition and Yalanji Arts.
Friday 25th – Day 8: Macrossan Street Parade – theme of Heavenly Bodies. Northern Fantasy Art and Photography Exhibition and Yalanji Arts.
Saturday 26th – Day 9: Exemplar Clipper Cup Regatta Day 3, Port Douglas Yacht Club. Four Mile Beach day. 8:00 – 3:00. Australian Muster Experience Daintree Station Bull Ride Extravaganza 8:00 till 5:00. Rio Carnivale Party from 6:00 at The Tin Shed. Windswell Freeride Sessions, Northern Fantasy Art and Photography Exhibition and Yalanji Arts.
Sunday 27th – Day 10: Exemplar Clipper Cup Regatta Day 4, Port Douglas Yacht Club. Windswell Freeride Sessions.
Port Douglas Carnivale News
January 9th: At The Mango Tree Holiday Apartments announces fantastic Carnivale accommodation packages.
February 9th: The theme of “heavenly bodies” has been announced for the Macrossan Street Parade on Friday May 25th.
February 12th: Comedian Fiona O’Loughlin to headline Carnivale Comedy Club.
February 24th: New Carnivale mask for 2012 revealed.
March 27th: Tickets on sale for Food, Wine and a Taste of Port and the Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch.
April 21st: Vanessa Soncin, 18, was chosen as Miss Carnivale 2012 at the Carnivale Launch hosted by Port Douglas Yacht Club.
April 21st: Kevin Carrington, aged 17, wins this year’s Song of Carnivale with his song Smile.
April 22nd: Aussie rockers Dragon and The Black Sorrows to headline Food Wine and a Taste of Port.
April 22nd: Celebraties attending the Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch will include Cameron Williams, host of NINE’s Weekend Today and Jesinta Campbell, Miss Universe Australia 2010 and second runner up at the Miss Universe 2012.
Images courtesy of www.carnivale.com.au
About Port Douglas Carnivale
Although there had been previous one day events celebrating the Reef and Rainforest the original idea of Carnivale came from a seven day yacht race from Port Douglas to Lizard Island. The idea was to stage a carnivale to be held in Port Douglas to celebrate the start of the yacht race. This was planned to be held in September 1993.
This particular yacht race never eventuated but the idea of the big party did and the idea of a Carnivale scheduled to see in the start of the new tourist season was born the following year in May 1994.
Even though the original idea of the Lizard Island Race with its Carnivale send off never happened that year yacht racing was a prominent feature of the week long celebrations the following May. As the momentun began to build several local organisations began to promote themselves with major events that also included some notable tennis stars in town along with horse racing along Four Mile Beach and a whole host of other events that set the standard for future years.
Today Carnivale still marks the beginning of the tourist season as the month of May heralds the onset of a change in the weather marking the end of the wet season. As temperatures begin to fall dramatically in our major markets of New Zealand and southern Australia the sleepy seaside village in the tropics comes alive with the influx of visitors.
Carnivale is a celebration of tropical living in a pristine environment surrounded by World Heritage listed reef and rainforest, epitomising all that is cherished by the people that know and love Port Douglas.
Why not join us this year and help celebrate Carnivale 2012?
