Mayor Scomazzon: Be our party favour - Show off Douglas this Carnivale
MAYORAL COLUMN
BUSINESS FEATURE
Port Douglas came in at number two in Australian Traveller’s list of 100 Best Towns to Visit in 2026 and this weekend is our chance to show why we deserve the top spot next time.
My advice is simple. Party hard, don your unofficial tourism ambassador hat and be loud and proud with your Douglas Shire passion during Port Douglas Carnivale.
The Friday Night Street Parade and the Tin Shed Family Beach Day are iconic for a reason — they’re the events everyone knows and looks forward to each year. But Carnivale stretches far beyond those two cornerstones.
This year’s Savannah Sounds, proudly presented by Douglas Shire Council and Newsport, brings another line‑up to get excited about. Friday night kicks off with Sneaky Sound System, Saturday delivers a powerhouse double with Jon Stevens alongside Vanessa Amorosi and Sunday closes with Dragon. If you’re too young to remember their 80s heyday, give them a quick Google — I guarantee a few of those classics will ring a bell and have your toes tapping.
We’re also excited to welcome the inaugural Coastal Show and Shine on Sunday — a celebration of cars, bikes and unique vehicles. Grab a voting ticket for a gold coin donation and help choose the People’s Choice winner.
For families, Carnivale might just be the answer to the daily challenge of keeping kids off their devices. Last weekend the kids had fun at Blast Lab and Slime of Your Life! Kids vs Parents at the Paramour Big Top. Now the fun continues with dressing up and taking part in the parade, building a sandcastle at the beach day, or getting your fix of fun and games at sideshow alley.
Across the weekend you’ll find cabaret, comedy, art exhibitions, projections on the Sugar Wharf and a huge range of partner events at the Sheraton Grand, Pullman, Hemingway’s, Mirage Country Club and more.
My final message is simple: turn out in force this weekend and show everyone that the Douglas Shire is the place to be for people of all ages. If you see a visitor looking a little lost or lonely, point them in the right direction or start up a conversation. And make sure you post your photos on social media. Authentic, grassroots coverage from locals is the best promotion Carnivale could ever ask for.
After the testing end to this year’s wet season, our tourism industry could use a lift. We didn’t need a travel list to tell us we live in tropical paradise but coming in at number two certainly didn’t hurt. And this weekend is our chance to show the rest of the country why Port Douglas should be number one.
And before I sign off — Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation are finalists in the Queensland Top Tourism Town Awards so please jump online and vote. Voting closes on Sunday 24 May and winners will be announced in mid‑June.
*The opinions and views in this column are those of the author and author only and do not reflect the Newsport editor or staff.