Cooktown Discovery Festival

13/08/2026

📸2026 photos have landed!
🏷 Relive this year's event and tag your mates!
✏ Pencil it in your calendar for next year - 18-20 June 2027!

24/06/2026

🎉 What a weekend, Cooktown!

The 2026 Cooktown Discovery Festival has wrapped up after three fantastic days of entertainment, culture, community spirit and unforgettable memories.

With an estimated 800 people attending Friday night's festivities and approximately 1,500 people enjoying Saturday evening's celebrations, this year's festival delivered one of the biggest crowds we've seen in years.

Now we'd love to hear from you!

If you attended any part of the festival, please take a few minutes to complete our festival survey and tell us about your experience. Your feedback helps us understand what worked well and how we can continue making the Cooktown Discovery Festival even better. Everyone who completes the survey will go into the draw to win a $50 IGA voucher and a gift pack!

Visit the website to complete the survey:
https://www.cooktowndiscovery.com.au/2026/06/25/the-festival-may-be-over-but-we-still-want-to-hear-from-you/

23/06/2026

🎉 What a Parade! What a Community! 🎉

The Regional Street Parade is one of Discovery Festival’s most loved traditions because it puts the spotlight on the people who make Cape York such a special place to live.

From schools and sporting clubs to community groups, local businesses and families, this year’s parade was bursting with creativity, colour, laughter and community spirit. Behind every float was a team of dedicated people who spent countless hours planning, building, decorating and bringing their ideas to life.

💛 To everyone who rolled down Charlotte Street this year – thank you. The time, effort and passion you poured into your floats did not go unnoticed. You helped create an unforgettable event and showcased the very best of our region. As far as we're concerned, you're all winners!

A special thank you to our judges, Cook Shire Mayor Robyn Holmes and the legendary duo Junior Burger, who had the incredibly difficult task of choosing winners from such an outstanding field.

And of course, a massive shout-out to the incredible team behind the Cape York Automotive Muster, who helped bring the perfect finale to the event. With engines rumbling, tyres rolling and plenty of horsepower on display, they delivered a fitting end to a parade that celebrates everything we love about our region.

👏 Discovery Festival is only possible because of the people who show up, get involved and give so much back to their community. This parade was a perfect reminder that when Cape York comes together, amazing things happen.

22/06/2026

22/06/2026

THAT'S A WRAP!

And what a weekend it was! We had an amazing time! Thanks so much for joining us. We're already looking to lock in dates for next year so we can do it all again!

Don't forget to tag us and share your Festival pics from the weekend!

The 2026 Cooktown Discovery Festival has wrapped up after a spectacular weekend of live music, community celebration, culture, creativity and good old-fashioned Cooktown hospitality, attracting record crowds from across the region and beyond.

20/06/2026

⚓ COOK'S LANDING REENACTMENT TODAY! ⚓

Step back in time and witness one of the Cooktown Discovery Festival's most iconic events as history comes to life at Bicentennial Park.

Experience the sights, sounds and atmosphere of Captain Cook's historic landing, brought to life through a spectacular reenactment offering a chance to reflect on the cultural significance and historical events that shaped the region.

📅 Sunday 21 June 2026 at 10:00AM – 11:30AM

🐾 Pet owners, please plan ahead! As part of the reenactment, musket firing will occur throughout the event. The loud noise may be distressing for dogs, cats and other noise-sensitive animals. Consider bringing pets indoors, checking fences and enclosures are secure, and ensuring ID tags and microchip details are up to date before the event begins.

20/06/2026

Turn up and tune in at the Cooktown Discovery Festival 🎶

Djawarray at 6:15pm TONIGHT!

📍 At the festival village main stage.

20/06/2026

Blue skies, good vibes, and a whole lot of festival fun! ☀️🎉

Day 2 is looking pretty amazing if you ask us 👀

For the full festival program, visit the website!

19/06/2026

🎆 FIREWORKS TONIGHT OVER COOKTOWN! 🎆

Please be aware of boat users exclusion zones and take precautions to keep your furry friends safe!

The sky above the Cooktown waterfront is about to explode with colour and light as the Cooktown Discovery Festival fireworks display lights up the night! ✨

Grab your crew, find your spot and get ready for spectacular display!

📅 TONIGHT — Saturday 20 June
🕗 8:15PM – 8:25PM

⚠️ EXCLUSION ZONE: A 200m diameter exclusion zone is in place adjacent to Bicentennial Park from 1PM–9PM today. Please stay clear of this area during these times.

🐕 Pet owners, please plan ahead! The loud noise from the fireworks can be distressing for animals, particularly dogs, cats and other noise-sensitive pets. Before 8:15PM, some precautions that can be made is to bring pets indoors, check fences and enclosures are secure, close doors and windows to muffle the noise, and make sure ID tags and microchip details are up to date.

To download the full festival program, visit the website.