Events in Townsville

Whether you are into arts and crafts, markets and shopping or theatre and festivals, you will have many choices whilst staying in Townsville.

Markets

There are three choices for markets each and every Sunday depending on your interests. The Willows Rotary Markets are great for fresh fruit and produce, as well as arts and craft. The Cotters Market is the largest in North Queensland located in the mall and is a must see with an abundance of both shopping and characters. You will find pottery, jewellery, paintings, plants and flowers, clothing and Australian Aboriginal Artifacts. The Showground Markets are also great for fresh fruit and produce, as well as arts and craft. The Horseshoe Bay Markets are held on the last Sunday of each month showcasing the arts and crafts of small business on the beautiful Magnetic Island. The Strand Night Markets occur on the first Friday of each month from May to December and are definitely a must see.

Festivals

The Palm Creek Folk Festival is an annual event held in the idyllic tropical grounds of the Mountain View Lake Eco Park (40kms south of Townsville). The festival takes place over four days and three nights involving more than 1000 performers and events and is lot's of fun!

The Australian Festival of Chamber Music comes to Townsville for 10 days each year. An international festival attracting between 20 and 40 distinguished chamber musicians from around the world at a variety of venues.

The Palmer Street Jazz Festival is another musical festival attracting some of the best jazz musicians from Australia and the world each year. Performances take place on several stages surrounded by the ambience of Palmer street and are accompanied by the bustling restaurants and cafes. Picturesque Palmer street is closed for three days whilst the festival continues.

The Townsville Winter Racing Carnival is one of Townsville's biggest Social events. Over 20,000 people walked through the gates in 2006 to eat, drink, party and enjoy the racing.

The Festival of Writing is held over three days and gives participants the chance to rub shoulders with some of Australia's best writers and learn from them in a variety of workshops and master classes.

The Townsville Show offers four days of excitement and fun. Take one of the many thrilling rides or watch the amazing attractions in the main area. You will definitely be amazed.