Festival Cairns may be over for another year, but there are still a few important jobs to be done. Announcing the winners of RACQ Insurance%u2019s Parade of Lights and presenting their hard-won prizes is just one of them.

The winning floats in Festival Cairns’ finale highlight, the RACQ Insurance Parade of Lights, is always hotly contested.

This year was no exception with the winners as follows:

As overall winner, Balloons Etc receives $3000, in second place Birch Carroll and Coyle and 4CA won $1500 and in third place, Barrier Reef Rockers’s Elvis themed float stole the judges hearts to take home $750.

High commendations were awarded equally to TAFE and the Philippine community floats with the school group award going to Woree State High School and Cook Island Dancers.

In other awards, Best Band was won by RSL’s Pipe Band – hotly contested by Trinity Bay High School and Woree State High School who were also out in force.

“We really appreciate the schools participation in particular – turning up when school holidays had already started and all the teachers involved are the true champions.

“We were absolutely delighted with the high standard and level of community participation for this year’s parade that was sponsored for the second time by RACQ Insurance,” said Mrs Black.

RACQ Insurance’s Parade of Lights was held on Saturday, September 20, providing a great spectacle and community showcase to a crowd of 30,000 locals and visitors who lined the esplanade to watch the procession of some 55 different floats, and participation by 1500 people.

The RACQ Insurance Parade of Lights has a rich and colourful history stemming back to 1967 and the days of Fun in the Sun when Cairns enjoyed its first procession down the esplanade to celebrate the city and its lifestyle. 

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