Low Isles is an idyllic, unspoilt coral cay island in the Great Barrier Reef, just one hour’s sailing from Port Douglas. 

Snorkel, take a glass bottom boat tour, take a guided beach walk and snorkel tour with a marine biologist or just relax on the beach under a thatched umbrella. Enjoy ukulele jams with fellow festival attendees and concerts by two international ukulele artists (tba)!

The Quicksilver Group offers a special discount of 15% on the Low Isles Cruise for Ukulele Players and Friends when booking direct. So not only do you get ukulele action, but also a discount on the regular cruise price!

For more information and bookings, please follow this link.

Blues, Roots and all that Jazz at the next Cairns Ukulele Festival

We have a new year’s resolution to share with you!

We have resolved to bring to you again an exciting world-class line-up and range of events, full of surprises and diversity; a unique festival that will be imprinted in your memory.  The 2012 festival will continue the tradition of showing the versatility of the ukulele, the power of the uke when it comes to bringing people together, and presenting established as well as emerging artists from around the globe, with as backdrop the Great Barrier Reef, tropical rainforest and the Pacific Ocean!

In this light we present to you:

Manitoba Hal is a blues musician from Canada, with a repertoire so large that it could fill a whole festival! Manitoba Hal has released seven albums, including four ukulele blues albums filled with dozens of originals and some classics, such as ‘The Thrill is Gone’ and ‘Baby, please don’t go’. Hal’s “Poulet Shack”, was voted “ukulele video of the year” in 2010 by the popular ukulele web site, Uke Hunt. Hal will perform solo as well as with a smokin’ hot blues band.

US musician, luthier, historian and songwriter Aaron Keim is a roots music renaissance man.  As The Quiet American, Aaron performs traditional and original folk music Inspired by depression era string band music, old timey gospel, lo-fi garage rock and the modern indie-folk scene.  The Quiet American is a compelling mix of old and new. In addition, Aaron is one of the most popular ukulele instructors around. His workshops receive rave reviews at every ukulele festival. He will be sharing his skills in Cairns in no less than three workshops!

Finally, we are proud to introduce the Paul Hemmings Uketet, a new jazz combo featuring Paul Hemmings from New York on ukulele. A jazz guitar player by training, Paul’s love affair with the ukulele started in 2005 after purchasing his first uke while visiting the island of Maui for a friend’s wedding. His fresh and original approach to both jazz and the ukulele is exciting and we’re looking forward to the release of his self-titled debut ukulele album – which features original compositions as well as jazz standards and rearranged contemporary (popular) works.

Workshops by the above artists will take place on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 July, allowing festival attendees to not only enjoy the music but also to walk away with a wealth of new knowledge, including jazz, blues and roots ukulele skills and theory.

The 2012 festival is shaping up to be big one, with many more artists and also some new and re-invented festival components yet to be announced, so stay tuned!

More information (and videos) about the above artists can be found here.

Interested in performing at the festival? Follow this link and fill out the form.

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Please send an email to cairnsukulelefestival@live.com

The Cairns Ukulele Festival core dates are 5-8 July 2012. For a brief overview of the contents of the festival, follow this link.

If you attended the 2011 Cairns Ukulele Festival and had a good time, please vote for us by following this link and filling out the form (or at least the “Best Festival 2011″ category)! Voting closes NYE.

Thank you!

Best wishes for 2012 and hope to see you in July in Tropical North Queensland for another exciting Cairns Ukulele Festival! 

Thanks once again to all performers, supporters, attendees, sponsors and volunteers for making this year’s festival so special!

Enjoy the video, and hope to see you again next year, 6-8 July!

Have you got feedback on the 2011 festival that you’d like to share with us? Please follow this link and fill out our survey!

Cairns Ukulele Festival is also on Facebook, and Twitter

We’d also like to acknowledge all other sponsors listed on our web site without whom this festival would not be the same!

Thousands of people attended the events on Green Island, at the Courthouse Hotel and Tanks Arts Centre, as well as the workshops, and art exhibition. 811 players participated in the world record attempt ‘largest ukulele ensemble’, with many more spectators enjoying the amazing community spirit and music. We were 41 short of breaking the record, so yes, we will try again next year! The concerts at the Tanks Arts Centre were once again packed. Punters were treated to an amazing line-up of the cream of international ukulele stars performing over two stages all day long.

The Uke Art exhibition raised $3,500 for Harald’s House. Thanks to all of the artists who participated in this exhibition and generously decorated the ukuleles!

On our web site, we’ll be uploading videos and photos over the next few weeks, so please check back regularly to relive some of those special moments! We also have a YouTube channel to which you can subscribe. Of course you can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Finally, we really would appreciate your feedback on this year’s event so please take the time to fill out our online survey by following this link.

Thank you once again, hope to see you next year!

Dozens of well known artists were given a ukulele and free reign to create a ukulele to be auctioned to benefit local street-level youth care charity Harald’s House. What came back was an amazingly eclectic collection of works. Some artists decorated the ukuleles, whilst others added to the diminutive instrument, one even transforming it into a lamp shade!

Complementing the bidding frenzy will be suitable ukulele entertainment provided by members of the Cairns Ukulele Club as well as one of the headliners of the Cairns Ukulele Festival, Victoria Vox from the United States.

Victoria wowed the crowds during her Sunday night performance at the Tanks Arts Centre. When she found out about this charity event benefiting the homeless children of Cairns, she was more than keen to play at the closing bids night, so make sure you grab this opportunity to see her perform surrounded by wonderful ukulele art.

The last bids event at the Tanks Arts Centre starts Friday July 8^th at 6pm with live auctions and entertainment throughout the night and finishes 8pm approximately.

Photos of a random selection of ukes can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.235705149783344.61038.114589728561554

Performances all day from midday by schools, ukulele clubs, and international performers.

Today is the day we are trying to break the record ‘largest ukulele ensemble’ at the Cairns Courthouse Hotel. Bring your uke, come on down and help Cairns enter the record books.

Find the song and more information here: http://cairnsukulelefestival.net/2011-program/2-july-world-record-attempt/

Please get ready by 4pm, register and start practicing!

Thursday evening come along to Havana music Cafe on Lake Street, warm up for the festival and meet other festival attendees. St Andrews college ukulele kids will perform 6.30pm, followed by Matt ‘Jumpingflea’ Dahlberg 7.15pm with the Derringers, and who knows what else will happen on the Havana stage!

Food is Cuban and Carribean style with meals and tapas.

Have you visited the Cairns Ukulele Festival Facebook Site yet? Have a look for lots of updates, photos and other festival related news.