Get in touch with your creative side during the Cairns Ukulele Festival! The Cairns Ukulele Festival School Holiday Workshop Program is an exciting new festival component featuring workshops in various arts disciplines, including visual arts, music and manual arts. The workshops, facilitated by local and internationally renowned artists, cater for all ages and skill levels and encourage participants to explore and develop new creative skills, all within the tropical and island theme of the Cairns Ukulele festival.

Tiki carving

Owning a tiki is like owning a piece of Oceania and everything associated with the island lifestyle. Plain and simple,tikis are Fun! This is your chance to create your own tiki carving under tutelage of the world-renowned Marcus Thorn! Marcus is fast becoming one of the most highly respected tiki carvers in the world and his carvings have featured in various Hot Rod Magazines and movies for NBC Studios New York and Warner Bros Movieworld Gold Coast, Australia and carving in Hawaii for hotels and developments and restoration of antique carvings/tikis. Held Thursday 5/7 and Saturday 7/7.

Paint ‘n’ Play

Let the uke art exhibition at the tanks inspire you and participate in this 2 hour painting workshop with Greg Dwyer followed by 1 hour ukulele lesson by legendary ukulele instructor and music book author Mike Jackson. Held for kids on 3/7 and for adults 4/7.

Uke ‘n’ Play ukulele

Mike Jackson will host various learn how to play the ukulele workshops during the festival. Some as part of the Paint ‘n’ Play workshops, one during the opening night, Thursday 5/7 at the Hilton and also during the Lanikai Ukulele Day at Fogarty Park July 7th.

Build a KoAloha ukulele

In this two day workshop, you will have fun with some of the KoAloha crew straight from Hawaii, while assembling your very own genuine KoAloha ukulele. You will be sweating, sanding, and gluing, and learning along the way. Bring your smiles and expect to have a great time. At the end of day two, you will be the owner of a brand new custom built KoAloha ukulele!

Click on the relevant workshop titles for more information and bookings.