Guests, locals and visitors will come together at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas this weekend for a unique gastronomic experience that celebrates the start of the sugar cane harvest season, kicking off with a symbolic cane burning on famous Four Mile Beach.

Attendees will then gather around a long table set on the resort’s beachfront lawn to enjoy a five-course dinner under the stars served with Italian wines.

The menu, inspired by stories of shared suppers and the smells of tomato sugo drifting from the cane cutter barracks, heroes the very best local produce and encourages guests to experience the joy of connecting through communal dining.

To start, Sheraton’s executive chef, Belinda Tuckwell, presents her giant platters of ‘Four Mile Antipasto’, featuring local Port Douglas Smokehouse meats, Atherton Tableland vegetables, olives and breads, followed by a flavorful Crab Arancini with salsa rosso.

Pasta alla Norma with roasted eggplant, pepperoncino, basil and ricotta salata is next on the menu, with Porchetta close behind - infused with fennel, garlic, herbs and served with rosemary roasted potatoes and a refreshing green salad. Your flavourful experience will end on a sweet note with Lemon Crema, raspberries, Cointreau and crostoli, satisfying your taste buds even further.

But that’s not all, this unique and memorable experience will also feature authentic stories told by descendants of the region’s sugar pioneers and a live Italian Opera performance.