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Shine On Gimuy Festival to illuminate Cairns Esplanade with spectacular light and art
[supplied by Pip Miller]
Image: supplied
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Lighting up the Gimuy Boulevard along Cairns Esplanade from Thursday 3 to Sunday 13 October, 2024, the second annual Shine On Gimuy festival will illuminate the city’s waterfront in a dazzling display of light installations, art sculptures, animations, and soundscapes.
Led by Artistic Director, Rhoda Roberts AO, under the guidance of a dedicated committee of Cultural Guides, Shine on Gimuy will deliver an invigorating and immersive line-up of music performances, cultural dance, comedy, and conversations in a celebration of First Nations peoples, arts and cultures.
While Shine On Gimuy’s main program of events will run from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 October the ENTWINED themed Artstory Light Walk on Gimuy Boulevard will remain in-situ until festival close on Sunday 13 October.
“This year’s ENTWINED theme is reflective of the interconnectedness all First Nations (and Bama) peoples share, as well as our intrinsic and inseparable connection to country. Visitors will be entranced by this sensory spectacle,” said Rhoda Roberts AO.
From 3 to 6 October, the Salt House bar and restaurant will transform into a Festival Hub on the Eastern Events Lawn and Gimuy Boulevard will come alive with an array of multi-arts activations which the entire family, attendees of all backgrounds, the Bama community, and visitors to Tropical North Queensland, alike, will find entertaining, immersive and informative.
Minister for Treaty, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Minister for Communities and Minister for the Arts, Leeanne Enoch MP, said Shine On Gimuy amplifies the voices of First Nations peoples by celebrating all forms of First Nations storytelling.
“This year’s festival theme ENTWINED highlights connections to Country and the exchange of knowledge and cultures that is vital on our Path to Treaty, truth-telling and healing,” Minister Enoch said,
“The Queensland Government’s investment of multi-year funding for Shine On Gimuy and the Queensland Music Trails’ Tropics Trail provides employment opportunities for Queensland artists and arts workers, activates Queensland spaces and places and delivers valuable social and economic outcomes.
“Festivals like Shine on Gimuy create innovative cultural tourism opportunities that showcase Queensland’s unique stories and cultural identity ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” she said.
Cairns Regional Council Mayor, Councillor Amy Eden, said Shine On Gimuy is a testament to the rich cultural tapestry that defines Gimuy/Cairns as the regional ‘arts and culture capital of northern Australia.
“This festival not only celebrates the creative brilliance of our First Nations communities but also strengthens the bonds that unite us all.
“I’m immensely proud to see our city shine on the national stage, showcasing the deep connections to country and cultures that make Gimuy/Cairns truly unique,” Councillor Eden said.
Shine On Gimuy is produced by Queensland-based events company, Shine On Productions.
The Shine On Gimuy festival is the cornerstone First Nations element of The Tropics Trail, presented by Queensland Music Festivals (QMF) as part of the Queensland Music Trails initiative.
The Music Makers program (ticketed)—as the festival’s performance element—will shine a light on musical artists/singers-songwriters from the region, as well as headlining major talent such as Briscoe Sisters, Mau Power, Victor Steffenson, Yirgjhilya Lawrie, Kee’ahn, Broden Tyrrell, Jessie Grainer Chong, and DJ Bala Will–with Masters of Ceremony Aaron Fa'Aoso, Jodie Cockatoo and Dizzy Doolan.
Each day from 3 to 6 October at the Salt House Festival Hub, First Nations voices will serenade attendees into the evenings, in conjunction with our daily Deep Wisdom Conversations series.
Mixing it up on the mainstage will also be Rob Waters–a renowned and celebrated First Nations poet–who will perform.
The return of Deep Wisdom Conversations (ticketed) is a great opportunity for attendees to learn from First Nations leaders on topics such as Talk of Country, Truth-Telling, Sovereignty, Rising Waters & Tensions, and Shaping the Future, over 5 to 6 October’s daily sessions.
The theme for this year’s Deep Wisdom Conversations is The Turning Point — Sovereignty Country, Voices and Action.
These Conversations series are made possible by support from JCU and the Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures.
Speakers include Professor Martin Nakata (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Education & Strategy), Distinguished Professor Sean Ulm (Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories), and Larrisa Baldwin Roberts (GetUp’s CEO, and Director of Research for Passing the Message Stick).
In celebrating comedy and bringing in the belly-laughs will be Shine On Gimuy’s comedy night on Saturday 5 October at the Salt House Festival Hub. Comedic extraordinaires, Sean Choolburra and Andy Saunders, are not to be missed.
Finally, Shine On Gimuy also celebrates engaging young people in both physical and artistic and creative pursuits. Working with Circa Cairns company, the festival will offer children the opportunity to practice acrobatics, circus techniques and movement–in a safe and engaging environment with performance specialists (free).