03fc-festival-cairns-supa-iga-announcement-june-08-pr1
Publicity
Pip Miller PR
Ph: (07) 4032 4400
Mob: 0419 681 543
Email: pip@pipmillerpr.com.au
Internet: www.festivalcairns.com.au
MEDIA INFORMATION Thursday 12 June 2008
PICCONE’S SUPA IGA PUT FESTIVAL CAIRNS ON SHOPPING LIST
Cairns’ family-owned supermarkets Piccone’s Supa IGA have pledged support for Festival Cairns 08 by becoming one of this year’s Festival Partners.
According to Festival Cairns Operations Manager, Narell Black, this commitment in a show of true community spirit that is synonymous with the Piccone family name.
“In announcing this partnership today, I am delighted to announce that their contribution will be used to help stage a program of free, family-style entertainment on the esplanade during Festival Cairns,” said Mrs Black.
Piccone’s Supa IGA operates supermarkets in Edmonton and Piccone’s Shopping Village located at Pease Street. The company was established over 50 years ago and employs 300 people.
Mrs Black said while she was greatly buoyed by this gesture from Piccone’s Supa IGA, she was concerned this year’s Festival Cairns finale highlight, the Parade of Lights, would proceed without a naming rights sponsor.
“This event, now in its 41st year, enjoys a wonderful place in Cairns history. With recent news that its sponsorship is up for grabs, I want to get the message out that there in the hope of finding a new sponsor.
“Attracting over 20,000 visitors and locals to the esplanade each year, the parade is a wonderful opportunity to create awareness and community goodwill while investing in a piece of Cairns history,” she said.
The Parade of Lights procession was established in 1967 as part of Cairns former community celebration, Fun in the Sun. Since then it has been held on an annual basis and has been the finale highlight of Festival Cairns from the outset in 2002. This year’s event will take place on Saturday 20 September 2008 and the theme takes its cue from this year’s slogan, Love Cairns, Love the Environment.
Background information – Festival Cairns 08
The ‘love’ theme for Festival Cairns 07 will live on with confirmation it is being retained in 2008 – albeit expanded to celebrate the city and its rather special relationship with, ‘the environment’.
The vibrant heart of Tropical North Queensland, Cairns is a city whose main claim to fame is its gateway access to Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage listed rainforests. While these natural wonders are a draw-card for visitors, they provide ample inspiration to those who make Cairns and the surrounding region, their home.
When it kicks off on Wednesday 27 August, Festival Cairns will role out to the tune of Love Cairns, Love the Festival, Love the Environment.
Since 2002, September has been set aside as the month to celebrate Festival Cairns. Spanning music, art, culture and sport, Festival Cairns brings together a series of free and ticketed events under one umbrella to entertain and delight both visitors and residents of the community.
Festival Cairns Organiser, Narell Black says that in addition to achieving its key objectives of showcasing and nurturing talent in a colourful and compelling event, this year’s expanded theme aims to highlight the magic of Tropical North Queensland’s environment.
“We intend this recognition of our beautiful surroundings to be a long term commitment. It is our hope, that by celebrating it in a positive way we will be enhancing awareness, engendering pride and greater responsibility for its preservation.
“While our theme will be omnipresent throughout the festival in all marketing collateral and activities from the official website through to signage, certain events will take “Love Cairns, Love the Festival, Love the Environment” as its cue. These will include, “Dress Up Your Business”, Lantern Art Competition and finale highlight, “Parade of Lights”.”
According to Narell, 2007 was a watershed year with Festival Cairns achieving record attendances of over 145,000 to 50 events while bringing $20 million into the local economy.
“This year we have even bigger plans to increase our footprint on Queensland’s event landscape with an extended program that has been increased from 22 to 25 days,” said Mrs Black.
This year the program will introduce Ergon Energy’s Cairns Busker’s Festival as one of its highlight events. Incorporating amateur performers throughout the event, the busking festival will culminate in the presentations of five professional street performers ‘doing their stuff’ in City Place and The Esplanade between Thursday 18 to Saturday 20 September.
Traditional favourites returning to this year’s program include TimeOUT concert, Food, Wine and all that Jazz, Cairns Amateurs Spring Racing Carnival, Carnival on Collins, Reggaetown, QLD Cup NBL Basketball Tournament, Tropical Wave multi-cultural festival and Parade of Lights.
Festival Cairns 2008 will run from Wednesday 27 August to Saturday 20 September, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Visit the website on www.festivalcairns.com.au or contact Events Cairns on tel: 07 4051 0222 or email: info@festivalcairns.com.au
