Port Douglas Carnivale

Offering a taste of paradise, Port Douglas Carnivale is a vibrant, annual food, culture, music, art, entertainment and sports festival hosted by the far northern villages of the Daintree, Mossman and Port Douglas. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the 2014 Port Douglas Carnivale is sure to be one of the biggest and best yet. Running for 10 days, the festival will launch on May 16 with the time-honoured Macrossan Street Parade and continue to May 24, peaking with a variety of foodie and family fun.

The perfect time to visit Port Douglas and soak up the charming seaside town's festivities, Port Douglas holiday packages are the easiest and most affordable way to plan your holiday. Attracting over 20,000 visitors from around Australia, Port Douglas Carnivale is one of the largest food and culture celebrations in North Queensland. Along with all the usual events, there's also a few new ones popping up including the Carnivale Garden Games.

Offering a raft of free family-friendly fun, the new Garden Games event held on the Sunday perfectly complements the Family Beach Day on the Saturday. For those with a more gourmet appetite, there are also sophisticated food and wine events to delight every tastebud including the traditional Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch, Seafood Extravaganza, Zinc Chandon Luncheon, Palates of Port and Taste of Paradise.

Visitors will also be treated to comedy, fashion, yacht racing and even appearances by celebrities. In celebrating the milestone of the festival's 20th anniversary, organisers say that they are proud to continue to present all the favourite aspects of the festival as well as some new events and that visitors should expect a few surprises. Showcasing the region's beautiful heritage-listed buildings, Port Douglas Carnivale events take place along the waterfront, in parks, at the marina, on famous Four Mile Beach and the historic Sugar Wharf.

(7th February 2014)