FUN IN THE SUN AS PORT DOUGLAS CARNIVALE SETS NEW RECORD
STAR power and sunny skies helped bring out record-setting crowd numbers at the 25th Port Douglas Carnivale.
The event, which kicks off the peak tourism season, attracted more 20,000 people across three days.
Friday night’s Macrossan Street Parade featured 35 floats with more than 500 participants entertaining the 10,000-plus onlookers.
Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu said the huge attendance over the weekend demonstrated just how much people loved the festival.
“I and many others have been going to Carnivale since it started and the feedback for this year has been great,” she said.
“It’s always been great for our peak tourist season and we wanted to make sure the investment we’ve put in was going to be something the community would appreciate.”
The Eskimo Joe concert proved a highlight, with 1500 people filling Rex Smeal Park on Saturday night.
Hemingway’s Port Douglas venue manager Chris Barber said getting Eskimo Joe was a step in the right direction for future Carnivales.
“A lot of the Saturday night music performances in the past have been more your golden oldies, so it was good to have someone like Eskimo Joe, who brings in that younger generation,” he said.
Mr Barber organised yesterday’s Seafood Extravaganza, which drew more than 5000 people to the Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina.
“The whole marina is bustling, we couldn’t have asked for a better day in terms of weather,” he said. “Just really happy it’s all come together and everyone was able to work together to bring it back to its original glory.”
At the Longest Lunch on Friday, a sold-out crowd of 250 guests took in the views at Rex Smeal Park over four courses with matching wines.
On Saturday, it was down to the beach for live entertainment, the sandcastle building competition and, for the first time, beach hockey.
Cr Leu said new events like beach hockey and the GBR Legacy 360 virtual reality experience were a hit.
“We had 40 events and 38 live shows throughout,” she said. “You could see in the atmosphere and from the feedback that this has been a fitting tribute for the 25th year of Port Douglas Carnivale.”