MEDIA RELEASE Monday 3 August 2009
OPENING WEEK DISHES UP A FUNKY FUSION OF FOOD,
FASHION & FUN
Media Call: Wednesday 5 August at 3pm – Ochre Restaurant
Market Square Hub will celebrate the launch of its brand and precinct marketing campaign with a week long feast of events spanning food, funky fashion and live entertainment from Sunday 22 August to Saturday 29 August 09 in the opening week of Festival Cairns. Craig Squire of Ochre Restaurant will dish up a plate of food while Trish Keur of Tea Lily – well known Grafton Street boutique, will dress to success highlighting special event, Market Square Long Lunch (see invitation attached also).
For information: Pip Miller PR 0419 681543
As one of Cairns entertainment precincts highlighted in this year’s Festival Cairns program, Market Square retailers, restaurateurs and traders, in conjunction with Cairns Regional Council, will dish up a week long street feast of food, fashion, free and fun-laden entertainment from Sunday 23 August to Saturday 29 August, 09.
The program gets underway from noon on Sunday 23 August with street performance featuring competitors vying for a place in Ergon Energy’s Cairns Street Busking Festival street star competition. Add to this, free live music, affordable street markets and a MasterChef style cook-off between local chefs and breakfast radio show identities.
The week will then unfurl into a celebration of outdoor dining and more free, live entertainment scheduled for Monday 24 August through to Wednesday 26 August, Market Square’s Longest Lunch on Thursday 27 August and Funky Fashion Friday on Friday 28 August – all culminating on Saturday 29 August with a closed-street food and entertainment spectacular from noon to 4pm and international street performance by six of the world’s best buskers.
Mayor of Cairns Regional Council, Councillor Val Schier said this year’s Festival Cairns program has embraced the concept of dedicated entertaining and dining hubs.
“The strategy being to ensure Festival Cairns is omnipresent in the CBD between Friday 21 August and Sunday 6 September while providing an exciting platform to showcase and nurture regional talent.
“Market Square, City Place and Esplanade Hubs are an effective way of ensuring a festive and fun beat reverberates throughout the streets for two whole weeks of Festival Cairns.”
Cairns’ Market Square precinct was launched earlier this year with the aim of highlighting the inner-city’s funky retail and dining strip connecting Shields, Grafton, Spence and Sheridan Streets.
Spearheaded by Craig Squire of Ochre Restaurant and Catering in conjunction with Cairns Regional Council, a group of 30 inner-city traders spanning shop keepers, retailers and restaurateurs were quick to get behind this precinct marketing campaign to raise the profile of Grafton and Shields Street.
With the evocative name of Market Square, Mr Squire said a comprehensive marketing strategy incorporating signage, web design, public relations and advertising has been embraced by all stakeholders to lift the profile of Grafton and Shields Street while communicating its integrity as a place to shop and dine.
Noon to 10 pm: Sunday 23rd August: Official Opening of Market Square @ Festival of Cairns
- Ergon Energy’s Cairns Street Buskers Festival “Street Star” competitors performing at random locations
- Market Square street market showcasing local trader’s produce, Rusty’s Markets and more – a veritable feast.
- Cooking Competition – Market Square chefs compete against local radio celebrities in three live, MasterChef style cook offs from 3pm, 4pm and 5pm. This will be a breakfast radio face off with ABC announcer Kier Shorey vying for the title against ‘Bec’ from Hot FM and ‘Piva’ from Zinc 102.7 FM. Radio hosts will be trying to beat the chefs of Ochre Restaurant, Paddywhacks and La Fettuccina at their own signature dish.
6pm to 10pm: Monday 24th – Wednesday 26th August: Market Square Outdoor Dining & Live Entertainment
- Ergon Energy’s Cairns Street Buskers Festival “Street Star” competitors performing at random locations
Noon to 3pm: Thursday 27th August: Market Square Longest Lunch with Fashion Parades and Waiter’s Race
- Lunch on one long table on southern side of Shields Street with two Parisian style fashion parades to live jazz featuring Tea Lily fashions and the latest in hair from Bailey’s Hair Studio in Grafton Street. Three course lunch by La Fettuccina (entree), Paddywhacks (main) and Ochre Restaurant (dessert).
Tea Lily Boutique, Jinyana Fine Jewellery, hair styled by the professional team at Bailey’s Hair Studio and musicians, The Decomposers
combine their talents to showcase the latest in Spring Fashion for 2009.
Add to this, a showcase of Australian designers – Lisa Ho, Moss & Spy and Akira feature with original jewellery concepts,
all set to the avant garde music.
This afternoon of food, fashion and fun will also feature a waiter’s race at 2.30pm between restaurants and bars in the Shields, Grafton and Sheridan Street strip.
Tickets $60 per person including two glasses of red or white wine are available now from participating restaurants or $66 per person from Ticketlink tel: 4031 9555.
6pm to 10pm: Thursday 27th August: Street Star
- Ergon Energy’s Cairns Street Buskers Festival “Street Star” competitors performing at random locations
6pm onwards: Friday 28th August: Funky Fashion Friday
- Fashion parade by Cairns’ funky fashion trio, Taste-y, Shiva Moon and Fetish; hair by Bailey’s Hair Studio and live music by DJ Fred – mixing it up for an evening of street-edge entertainment. Restaurants will also provide special dining and lounge options with Ochre Restaurant providing a snack menu and live it up lounge on the street.
Noon to 4pm: Saturday 29th August: Market Square – Street Food and More Fun
- Between noon and 4pm, the whole of Shields Street from Sheridan Street to City Place will be closed for a fabulous street party to celebrate the end to a week long street party. Family entertainment, live music, street performance and more will culminate in Ergon Energy’s Cairns Street Buskers Festival international performers 5.30pm to 10pm.
As event manager of Festival Cairns 2009, Cairns Regional Council gratefully acknowledges the support of major sponsors Arts Queensland, Queensland State Government, Ergon Energy and Pacific Toyota.
Ends
For more information:
Belinda Griffin, Festival Cairns Coordinator
T: 07 4044 3593 M: 0407 966 530 E: festival@cairns.qld.gov.au
Issued by:
Pip Miller PR
T: 07 4032 4400 M: 0419 681543 E: pip@pipmillerpr.com.au
www.pipmillerpr.com.au