Community & Business
28 April, 2023
Funding for Italian festival
A POPULAR event which is part of the Cairns Italian Festival will get a cash injection from Mareeba Shire Council after last year’s inaugural event was sold out.
Council will contribute $2500 to the staging of the Mareeba Salami and Sausage Competition which was extremely successful when it was first hosted in August 2022.
The event sold out weeks in advance, with people from right across North Queensland attending, providing an economic boost to the community.
According to a council report, the event will once again be held in 2023, however dates are yet to be finalised.
“Apart from the Mareeba Salami and Sausage Competition, organisers this year are adding an event to host a soccer tournament in Mareeba as part of a weekend of festivities,” the report stated.
The tournament will be called the “Marconi-Bomben Tournament” celebrating two Italian pioneers in the region that did so much for the sport.”
Mayor Angela Toppin said the inaugural festival had been wonderful and council would contribute the funds to the event through its Community Partnership Program.
“I would like to acknowledge the significant and ongoing efforts of the Cairns Italian Festival and the countless volunteers, members of the community and businesses who make this wonderful event possible,” she said.
“The economic benefits of an iconic event such as the festival are significant, and I look forward to attending the event again this year.
“While I was born in Australia, my parents migrated from Italy in the 1950s. I invite Mareeba Shire residents to come and experience the Italian culture at this wonderful community event.”
The dates for the 2023 Cairns Italian Festival have not yet been announced
