Esplanade hosts US party
THE Esplanade will be the place to be to mark Fourth of July celebrations on Saturday with a 10-hour concert and fireworks display.
Cairns Regional Council, Cairns Chamber of Commerce, Advance Cairns and Tourism Tropical North Queensland have teamed up to fund the fireworks display, which will cap a music-filled Independence Day event.
Bands will be performing on the stage near the Lagoon from 11am to 9pm, with reggae band I and I Tula, solo artist Mitch and Americana pop/rock band Bluebud scheduled to perform.
The fireworks display will begin at 8pm.
Pictures: USS Essex vistors in Cairns
"It is a day that commemorates the United States’ independence as a nation and, therefore, is a day close to the hearts of Cairns’s American visitors," Mayor Val Schier said.
Pictures: Faces of the USS Essex
Cairns Insp Russell Rhodes said police had launched Operation Newhaven for what was expected to be a busy weekend on Cairns streets.
"From Thursday through to Sunday, we will have between 12 and 22 additional staff working within the CBD," he said.
"We envisage minimal arrests but we will have additional resources to ensure the safety and good behaviour of all who visit the CBD."
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Insp Rhodes said there had been no issues with the visiting US Navy personnel since they arrived on Sunday.
"They have been very approachable and very well behaved," he said.
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