Townsville’s Festival 2018 nominated as a State Finalist in national awards
Date published: 5 October 2018
Townsville City Council’s record-breaking Festival 2018 has been nominated as a State Finalist in the Australian Event Awards.
More than 100,000 people attended Festival 2018 in Townsville – across all venues Strand Park, Queens Gardens and Jezzine Barracks – and the event was entirely developed and managed by Council.
Acting Mayor Les Walker said the success of Townsville’s Festival 2018 helped cement the city’s reputation as the arts and cultural capital of Northern Australia.
“Having more than 100,000 people come along to the Festival showed exactly how Townsville puts on a show,” Cr Walker said.
“Townsville received statewide and national praise for the quality and diversity of the acts throughout Festival 2018.
“Importantly, these major events help to boost the economy by attracting visitors who stay in our hotels and eat in our restaurants.
“Council helps to deliver major events like Festival 2018 because they help to create jobs for locals.”
Community and Cultural Development Committee Chair Cr Colleen Doyle said arts and music fans would have fond memories of Festival 2018 for years to come.
“Whether it was the Uncontained shipping containers in Strand Park or the two Spiegeltents in Queens Gardens, there really was something for everyone,” Cr Doyle said.
“I think Festival 2018 showed Townsville how to party again and we’re hoping to keep that feeling into next year.
“Council will make sure that everything that we learnt from hosting the Festival is used to make all future events just as successful.
“I’d also like to thank the Queensland Government for funding Festival 2018, as part of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.”
Townsville City Council – along with other host Councils Cairns, Brisbane and Gold Coast – was nominated by the Queensland Government.
Winners will be announced on the Sunshine Coast at an awards ceremony on 21 November.
