At a glance
- Biggest ticketed shows
- Celia Pacquola’s Gift Horse, Saturday 14 November, 7:30pm at CPAC Theatre ($59.90 to $64.90); Ashes To Ashes David Bowie Experience, Saturday 8:00pm at CPAC Studio ($75; $65 for groups of 8 or more)
- Free
- Cattana Wetlands Microbat Night, Saturday 6:00pm to 8:30pm; free green waste drop-off at four council transfer stations from 14 to 22 November
- Family show
- Showtime – Stars of the Future, Sunday 15 November, 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm at CPAC Studio, $22; each child performs in one show only
- Art workshops
- Iridescent inkwork ($35), Expressive Portraits ($40) and a two-day Abstract Acrylics course ($175 members, $205 non-members)
- Who it’s for
- Anyone in Cairns choosing what to do this weekend: couples, families, art lovers and people clearing their yards
- What to do now
- The ticketed shows sell through CPAC Ticketlink, the workshops through the Tanks, the council gallery and the council’s event pages, and the free events are listed on the council’s pages
- Last checked
- Tuesday 10 November 2026, against the Cairns Regional Council events listing and each event’s page
- Not yet confirmed
- Remaining ticket availability for each show and workshop; the listing lists many recurring community sessions that are not covered here
Eight events with official 2026 dates are listed for Cairns this weekend, led by comedian Celia Pacquola at CPAC Theatre on Saturday 14 November at 7:30pm and a David Bowie tribute show at CPAC Studio the same night at 8:00pm. The rest of the list is two art workshops on Saturday morning, a two-day acrylics course, a free microbat night at Cattana Wetlands, a children’s dance show on Sunday and a free green waste drop-off week. Cairns is in Queensland and stays on Brisbane time all year (AEST, UTC+10).
This guide uses Cairns Regional Council’s Upcoming events listing and the individual event pages it links to, read on 10 November 2026. The council says its listing is a service to residents and visitors, is not exhaustive, excludes commercial activities and events run for profit, and that unless an event is Council-run it is not responsible for the accuracy of the listing. Prices and times below are as of 10 November 2026.
What is on, day by day?
| When | Event | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 14 November, 10:00am to 12:00pm | Shimmer & Shine: Iridescent Botanical Inkwork Workshop (adults only) | Tank 4 Gallery | $35, materials included |
| Saturday 14 November, 10:30am to 12:30pm | Mark Tweedie: Expressive Portraits workshop | Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre | $40 per person, materials included |
| Saturday 14 November, 10:30am to 2:30pm, and Sunday 15 November, 10:30am to 1:30pm | Abstract Acrylics two-day workshop (adults 16+) | Cairns Art Gallery | $175 members, $205 non-members |
| Saturday 14 November, 6:00pm to 8:30pm | Cattana Wetlands Microbat Night | Cattana Wetlands, Dunne Road, Smithfield | Free |
| Saturday 14 November, 7:30pm | Celia Pacquola: Gift Horse (rated M) | CPAC Theatre | $59.90 to $64.90 |
| Saturday 14 November, 8:00pm | Ashes To Ashes David Bowie Experience (rated PG) | CPAC Studio | $75; $65 groups of 8+ |
| Sunday 15 November, 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm | Showtime – Stars of the Future 2026 (rated G) | CPAC Studio | $22 |
| Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 November, 8:30am to 5:15pm | Free green waste disposal | Portsmith, Smithfield, Gordonvale and Babinda transfer stations | Free (gold coin donation) |
Is there a Saturday morning art class in Cairns?
There are three. The Shimmer & Shine workshop, led by Sue Schreiber and Glenis Lawler at the Tanks Arts Centre’s Tank 4 Gallery, runs from 10:00am to 12:00pm and costs $35 including materials. The Tanks page says you start with a patterned background in iridescent watercolours, then use fine-liner pens to draw a flower over it, using stippling, hatching and scrolls. It is adults only, and bookings are made by email to Sue Creates Art at the address on the Tanks page.
Mark Tweedie, described by Tanks as a Perth-based artist in residence, runs the Expressive Portraits workshop at the Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre from 10:30am to 12:30pm. It costs $40 per participant with materials included and is suitable for all skill levels, according to the Tanks page. It covers building a face with acrylic-based gestural techniques, including glazing and palette knife work. The same page lists two more Tweedie dates: a Landscape and Memory workshop on Saturday 21 November and an artist talk on Sunday 29 November.
The Abstract Acrylics course at Cairns Art Gallery, taught by artist Maharlina Gorospe-Lockie, spans the weekend. The council page lists Saturday from 10:30am to 2:30pm and Sunday from 10:30am to 1:30pm, for adults aged 16 and over, at $175 for members and $205 for non-members. It says all materials are provided, including a stretched and primed canvas, and that there is no expectation to complete a work. The gallery lists (07) 4046 4800 and info@cairnsartgallery.com.au for enquiries.
What is the free thing to do on Saturday night?
The Cattana Wetlands Microbat Night runs from 6:00pm to 8:30pm on Saturday 14 November at Cattana Wetlands on Dunne Road, Smithfield, and the council listing shows it as free. The page says it is returning “by popular demand”. You can watch the Myotis, also called the fishing bat, catch fish, and see the evening fly-out from the day roost in the feather-palm forest, using infrared torches. Visitors also help the Bat and Tree Society of Cairns survey insect-eating microbats with ultrasonic detectors, and the evening includes spotlighting with expert tour guides. The page gives a contact name and a mobile number for the organiser.
What is on at CPAC on Saturday night?
Two shows run the same night in different rooms. Celia Pacquola’s Gift Horse is in the CPAC Theatre at 7:30pm, with the venue opening at 6:30pm. The show is about 60 minutes, rated M, with reserved seating at $64.90 for adults and $59.90 for concession and groups of six or more, according to the Ticketlink page. Our Celia Pacquola guide has the full details.
Ashes To Ashes David Bowie Experience is in CPAC Studio, with the venue opening at 7:00pm and the show starting at 8:00pm. It runs 2 hours 20 minutes including a 20-minute interval, is rated PG with reserved seating, and costs $75 for a single ticket or $65 each for groups of eight or more, with booking fees included. The page names Paul Matthews as vocalist and lists songs including Space Oddity, Changes, Heroes, Life on Mars, Ziggy Stardust, Rebel Rebel and Let’s Dance. It warns of haze effects and says dancing is encouraged. Companion Card holders must book with the box office by phone or in person.
Is there something for small children on Sunday?
Showtime – Stars of the Future 2026 is at CPAC Studio on Sunday 15 November, with shows at 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm, and the venue opening an hour earlier for each. Tickets are $22 including booking fees, according to the Ticketlink page, and each show lasts about 30 minutes. The page describes a relaxed, family-friendly performance by FNQ Dance Academy’s Stars of the Future preschool program, for ages 2 to 5, with senior helpers. It is rated G. It says students perform in one show only.
Where do I park for CPAC?
Cairns Regional Council’s parking page, updated 26 October 2026, says the CPAC car park costs $2.40 an hour, capped at $6 a day, with charges applying from 8:30am to 5pm on weekdays. It says the car park is free after 5pm on weekdays and all weekend, and is for the exclusive use of ticket holders during performance times. The CPAC venue page, which has older wording, says patrons attending a show park free for the performance plus an hour either side, subject to availability. The two pages word the rule differently. Our Cairns council parking guide lists other council car parks.
What is the free green waste offer?
The council is offering residents free green waste drop-off and sandbag collection from 14 to 22 November 2026, with a gold coin donation accepted to raise funds for a local charity. The offer applies at the Portsmith, Smithfield, Gordonvale and Babinda transfer stations, open seven days from 8:30am to 5:15pm. It covers domestic cars, utes and trailers, and light trucks up to 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass. Normal rates apply for other waste during the week, including green waste from garden contractors working on behalf of residents.
What else is listed?
The council listing also shows recurring community sessions this weekend, including Sahaja Yoga Meditation at the Esplanade’s Eastern Events Lawn from 7:30am, Aqua Zumba at the Cairns Lagoon from 9:00am, a community chess session at Smithfield Library at 9:30am and puzzle swaps at Manunda and Smithfield libraries at 10:30am, all on Saturday. The listing says these recurring events may not run on public holidays. For a swim after an event, our Cairns Esplanade Lagoon guide covers the Lagoon’s hours and rules.
Sources
- Cairns Regional Council — Upcoming events (read 10 November 2026)
- Tanks Arts Centre — Shimmer & Shine workshop
- Tanks Arts Centre — Mark Tweedie: Expressive Portraits
- Cairns Regional Council — Abstract Acrylics, Two-Day Workshop (page last updated 19 October 2026)
- Cairns Regional Council — Cattana Wetlands Microbat Night (page last updated 19 June 2026)
- CPAC Ticketlink — Ashes To Ashes David Bowie Experience
- CPAC Ticketlink — Showtime – Stars of the Future 2026
- CPAC Ticketlink — Celia Pacquola: Gift Horse
- Cairns Regional Council — Free green waste disposal (14 – 22 November 2026)
- Cairns Regional Council — Off-street car parks (last updated 26 October 2026)
Featured image: Jabiru Lake at Cattana Wetlands, November 2024 (photo: Steve Fitzgerald / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added). The photos in this guide show places named in the listings, not the events themselves.
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Cairns Regional Council, Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns Art Gallery or the organisers of the events listed. Times and prices change.