WOW Australia is heading to Cairns again in 2026 to celebrate 150(+000) years of the contribution of women and girls to the city and region, to hear their stories and celebrate changemakers in the community today; bringing a wave of inspiration, connection, and celebration to the region!
This isn't just an event for Cairns; it's an event designed by Cairns! Through local ‘Think Ins’ and community meetings, we are co-creating a program that reflects the heart and soul of the region, and the stories that Cairns wants to tell!
Discover a program packed with all your WOW favourites, including:
Men's breakfast
Panel discussions
WOW Schools Day with Speed Mentoring
Hilarious WOW Comedy Gala
Free community concerts
WOW Marketplace
Dedicated Healing Space
and lots of WOW Bites – inspirational short stories of hope.
A special feature will be an In Conversation with WOW Australia Patron and former Governor General of Australia, the Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO and royal correspondent and journalist, Juliet Rieden.
Get involved now!
A key component of any WOW Festival is an opportunity for locals to get creative and join the program:
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Every WOW festival worldwide includes WOW Bites sessions. These are short talks and stories, and sometimes performances, on a very wide range of subjects from the serious to the frivolous, delivered by all sorts of people, occasionally famous, but often everyday heroes.
WOW Bites may have a feminist theme, but many will just be about amazing things women have done, fears conquered, lives changed. They are designed to engage and inspire audiences in all sorts of areas – new life insights, information, ideas, and ways of thinking.
Doing a WOW Bite can be a huge moment for some women and girls – the first time they have told their story in a public forum.
Nominate yourself, or someone else, deadline 12 June.
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Across the Festival will be a range of performance opportunities, including free entertainment in the WOW Marketplace and a spectacular free concert program from 5pm Saturday.
We are looking for expressions of interest from musicians, poets, and other cultural performers from the Cairns region to include in the program.
Deadline 12 June.
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The WOW Marketplace is a Festival highlight, free for all to attend, and featuring local artisans, women-led enterprises, community groups and service providers.
We welcome your participation in the Community Festival Day on Saturday 12 October from 8am – 3pm at Bulmba-ja.
The Marketplace will have its own stage, with a full program of performances and interactive workshops.
Let us know all about your enterprise and what you would like to share/showcase/sell as part of the program.
Deadline 12 June.