Festivity isn’t limited to the last month of the year – in fact, Tablelanders make sure there are year-round opportunities to let down your hair, kick up your heels, and celebrate. Towns across the Tablelands each have something to offer, from renowned music festivals to something more unique – like the scarecrow festival and a 140-kilometre wheelbarrow race! Get your pen and calendar out, because you don’t want to miss these events.
Whether you’re a die-hard rock fan, love to lose yourself in dreamy folk music, enjoy camping with the family among like-minded people, live for nail-biting rodeo action, want to learn more about the region’s history, or love to support local youth, businesses, and organisations – there’s something for everyone of all ages. Check online for information about dates, tickets, programs, camping, and other details of these events.
MAY
Mt Garnet Races & Rodeo (May 3-5) brings the little town to life for the May long weekend. Friday and Saturday feature thoroughbred racing, Calcutta auctions, and a lively cabaret each night, and Saturday includes Fashions on the Field. Sunday, the rodeo day, includes bull riding, barrel racing, roping, steer wrestling, exhibitions, and more. Camping is available for the weekend.
The Great Wheelbarrow Race (May 10-12) isn’t for sitting back and enjoying the show! The race spans three days and 140 kilometres, and sees teams of friends, work colleagues, and families push the barrow from Mareeba to Chillagoe. Since 2007, the race has donated over two million dollars to charity.
Pioneer Weekend (May 11-12) gives locals and visitors the chance to step into a different century at the Historic Village Herberton. Alongside the Village’s usual suite of interactive machinery displays, blacksmithing demonstrations, and historic buildings to explore, there will be woodchopping, live entertainment, games, train rides, and more. Don’t forget to dress up in your Sunday best for the fashion contest!
Iron & Steam Fair (Monthly from May-Sept) a special event series at the Historic Village Herberton where Australia’s history comes to life with steam exhibitions, diesel and working demonstrations, and historic and classic motor vehicles.
JUNE
QLD Family Fun Day (June 9) held at Jack May Park, Malanda. The pump track and nature playground set the scene for the day with live music from Malanda school students, Joe and Wendy Paronella, Emily McGuigan and the band, Sonic Bloom, novelty sports events for the whole family, face painting, food vans, dance competition, and information booths from local not for profits and sporting groups. Bring a picnic mat and settle in for a day of festivities.
NYX Festival (June 21-24), held near Ravenshoe, falls on the winter solstice. The five-day experience treats you to an eclectic mix of folk, soul, techno, and other musical performances, interactive art exhibitions, and a range of workshops for dance, music, yoga and more. Camp onsite, reconnect with nature, and enjoy the revelry with other creative souls.
JULY
Mareeba’s Christmas in July welcomes travellers and locals to Davies Park in Mareeba for a three-day event featuring games, entertainment, markets, raffles, community stalls, and a Christmas meal. Organised by Far North Nomads, the annual event sees hundreds of vans assemble for a tropical Christmas celebration.
Malanda Show (July 5-7), Atherton Show (July 8-9), and Mareeba Rodeo and Agricultural Show (July 13-14) make this a month of festivity. Each year, the showgrounds light up with fireworks, fairy floss, exhilarating rides, street parades, and show stalls, promising excitement for people of all ages. But our agricultural shows also unite our communities, offering a space to connect and to celebrate local talent and rural culture – from cattle handling, bull riding, milking, and showjumping to poultry, produce, art, crafts, and cooking.
NAIDOC Week (July 7-14) – the theme for 2024 is Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud. Many events occur across the Tablelands region celebrating NAIDOC including TRC’s flag raising ceremony.
Kuranda Roots Festival (July 12-14) is held at Kanjini campsite at the base of Emerald Creek Falls. This welcoming little festival is a three-day celebration of music and creativity, with the rich culture of reggae, arts, and the beauty of the Far North environment.
Chillagoe Festival (July 20) offers live music, markets, art, food, displays and more. It’s a great time of year to head west and enjoy this celebration in the outback.
AUGUST
The Maize Festival in Atherton hails back to 1962 and showcases community spirit and agricultural heritage. With a range of entertainment, highlights include high tea on August 4, the festival street parade with creative community floats on August 31, the Maize Queen contest, and the Maize Ball on August 17.
SEPTEMBER
Smokey Blue Rally is a unique treasure hunt with clues peppered around towns on the Tablelands. The car rally raises money and awareness for the rare, stroke-causing disease Moyamoya, which primarily affects children. Smokey Blue Rally is organised by the Moyamoya Australia charity, founded by Ravenshoe mum Nicola Baker.
Festival of Flowers (Sept 7) in Mt Molloy is a wonderful celebration with a flower show, workshops, art installation, CWA markets and more.
North Queensland Heritage Expo (Sept 7) at the Herberton Mining Centre includes expert talks from history groups, Nick Watling antique appraisals and more.
The Herberton Flower Show (Sept 7-8) is celebrating their 78th annual show this year alongside art, crafts and a photo competition.
OCTOBER
Savannah in the Round (Oct 11-13) will rock Mareeba’s socks off with an incredible lineup of classic Aussie legends and emerging talent. With camping options or nearby accommodation, the music festival is held at Mareeba Rodeo Arena with performances of country, rock, ballads, folk, blues music and more across three separate stages.
Torimba Festival (Oct 5-20) celebrating Ravenshoe’s heritage of tourism and timber, has been running since 1969! Over two weeks, the festival features woodwork and woodchopping competitions, sports, games, and rides, artistic displays and workshops, the Torimba Mardi Gras parade, music, floats, the Queen’s ball, and more.
Malanda Bull Ride (Oct 12) was awarded TRC’s Community Event of the Year this February. Supported by Malanda Hotel and a range of other local organisations, the event features live music, food vendors, a Calcutta auction evening, and plenty of thrilling action from bull riders who call the Tablelands home or who come from afar to compete.
The Tablelands Folk Festival (Oct 25-27) brings Yungaburra to life every October with jigs, joy, and creativity. With workshops, performances, and music from a range of genres at several different venues over the weekend, along with a sunset street parade and the children’s festival, the Folk Festival promises a magical weekend of entertainment.
Jacaranda Festival Herberton (Oct 19-20) is a family-friendly weekend event: when the jacaranda trees put on a show in spring, so too does the town of Herberton, with music, face-painting, a short-film festival, market stalls, contests, historical tours, train rides, food vendors, and more.
NOVEMBER
Atherton Bull Ride (Nov 9) wraps up the Great Northern Bull Riding Series at Atherton Showgrounds. It’s bound to be a wild ride, with live entertainment, food, and an evening of edge-of-your-seat bull riding.
Malanda Christmas Street Festival and Herberton Twilight Christmas Markets have got your back when it comes to sourcing locally made, grown, and owned gifts for friends and family at Christmas time. The street festivals’ twilight ambience and main-street settings make them the perfect place to catch up with neighbours, friends, and community members, enjoy the entertainment on offer, and support Tablelands businesses as the year wraps up.
DECEMBER
The Tablelands Toy Run is a charity ride that collects gifts and non-perishable food to give to the Salvation Army for those in need at Christmas time. It’s impossible to miss this event organised by the Highland Motorcycle Club – it typically attracts over 100 motorbikes and cars! The Toy Run thunders through Yungaburra, Malanda, Atherton, and Tolga, and stops to collect gifts from residents, businesses, and students of Yungaburra and Malanda primary schools.
TRC Christmas Lights Competition is an opportunity to celebrate the festive season by decorating your homes and streets with festive lights and displays. It’s a tradition for many families to walk or drive around to look at the lights.
Herberton New Year’s Eve Street Party (Dec 31) is the perfect way to wrap up the year and see the new one in with live music, food and drinks, and all-round revelry on the main street.
There are many more events on the Tablelands – regular or yearly – like markets, expos, music, horse races and sporting events, so keep an eye out for what’s happening locally in our monthly magazine, on this website, or on
facebook/whatsontablelands.
SAVE THE DATE
9 June – Queensland Family Fun Day Malanda
14-23 June – Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet @ APA
16 June – Mareeba Metrogaine
21-25 June – NYX Festival
22 June – Iron & Steam Fair, Historic Village Herberton
5-7 July – Malanda Show
6 July – Irvinebank Festival
6 July – Amber Lawrence Junction Hotel Dimbulah
8-9 July – Atherton Show
12-14 July – Kuranda Roots Festival
13-14 July – Mareeba Rodeo
20 July – Chillagoe Festival
20 July – Fleetwood Mac & Stevie Nicks, Atherton Hotel
20-21 July – Troops & Trains WWII, Herberton Railway
25 July – Women in Business Lunch & Learn (ATCC)
3 August – Paul Tabone Viva Pavarotti @ APA
4 August – Maize Festival High Tea Kairi
17 August – Maize Ball Yungaburra
28 August – Women’s Evening Networking (ATCC)
31 August – Atherton Maize Festival Parade
1 September – Iron & Steam Fair
7-8 September – Herberton Flower Show
7 September – Festival of Flowers Mt Molloy
7 September – North Qld Heritage Expo – Herberton Mining Centre
September – Date TBC – Smokey Blue Rally
5-20 October – Torimba Festival Ravenshoe
11-13 October – Savannah in the Round
12 October – Malanda Bull Ride
17 October – Women In Business Development Day (ATCC)
19-20 October – Jacaranda Festival Herberton
25-27 October – Tableland Folk Festival
21 November – Christmas Street Festival Malanda
6-8 December – Flat out at the Falls Water Polo Malanda
*dates are subject to change, please confirm details with event organisers
