Light entertainment
A BRIGHTLY-LIT neon dog park, complete with fluoro poop, is the perfect place to get some cool photos with the kids tonight.
The colourful “park” on the Cairns Esplanade was created by Melbourne artist Carla O’Brien using LED Neon Flex material.
Ms O’Brien said the picturesque Esplanade was the perfect temporary home for her precious pups. “I haven’t been to Cairns for more than 25 years and I just love that whole area with the lagoon and the water and everything,” she told the Cairns Post.
“What I loved about the location was just how it was really buzzing when we were down there setting it all up. There was lots of activity and people were coming up to us and interacting with the dogs.
“People get a lot of enjoyment out of them and I love seeing kids picking out their favourite or giving them names ... I get a lot of joy out of that,” she said.
People can visit the neon canines every night until September 1 between 6.30pm and 10pm.
The neon park is one of several interactive highlights included in this year’s Cairns Festival program.
Another visual night-time treat is the City Lights projections at the historic Cairns Library on Abbott St.
This collaborative projection artwork features paintings by Far North artist Hayley Gillespie, transformed into animated stories.
City Lights is on every night during the festival between 7pm and 11pm.
Both art installations are free to visit.
The city will come alive with bright lights, live music, theatre, circus, comedy, art installations and more across the 10 days of the festival.
From today, a range of free and ticketed events will be on offer and this year’s program is the most interactive ever.
“From interacting with the neon dog park, to full-scale dance parties, the chance to see your very own love story told on centre stage, and spinning ‘the wheel of death’ to hear famous opera songs, this year’s program is all about joining the action, rather than just watching,” Mayor Bob Manning said.
For more information and program highlights, visit www.cairnspost.com.au.