Is it hard to get to AFCM concerts at CPAC?

No. CPAC has its own free carpark, reached via Grafton, Sheridan or Florence Streets, plus free and paid street parking nearby. Cairns Airport is an official AFCM partner and has welcomed the Festival with a live musical performance in its terminal.

Is CPAC accessible, and will it suit my needs?

Yes. CPAC has an accessible lift to every level, four unisex accessible bathrooms, hearing loops at the box office, bar, theatre and studio, flexible seating arranged through the Box Office, support for assistance animals and Companion Card, and a quiet room with a one-way-glass view and adjustable live audio feed.

Will I feel out of place at my first AFCM concert if I'm new to chamber music?

No. First-timers make up a real part of every AFCM audience, and ushers, volunteers and the Festival team are there to help with seating and any questions.

What are the food and drink options near CPAC?

Cairns is a genuine food destination and dinner or a nightcap is an easy walk from CPAC. During interval, AFCM's official festival wine, La Prova from the Adelaide Hills, is available at the bar.

Is classical and chamber music still relevant today?

Yes. Chamber music scores many popular films, is readily available on streaming platforms, and its audiences at AFCM span every age group, from school groups to lifelong subscribers.

Your First Concert: What to Expect

AFCM 2027 · Cairns-Gimuy · 23–31 July 2027

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Your first AFCM concert: what to actually expect

Never been to a chamber music concert before? Here's exactly what your evening looks like - starting with the room you'll be sitting in.

Take the video tour of CPAC, your venue for the night

A night at AFCM, start to finish

No strict rules, no dress code you need to worry about - just a straightforward evening. Here's exactly how it goes.

Arrive

CPAC sits at the corner of Sheridan and Florence Streets, right across from Munro Martin Parklands. Come in through the Terrace - the outdoor space that connects the venue's two entrances - and take a moment there before you head in.

Collect your ticket

The Box Office is just off the Terrace. If you booked online, your ticket (or booking name) is all you need.

Find your seat

An usher checks your ticket and points you in. CPAC's theatre seats 941, in stalls and balcony, built with locally sourced timber for its acoustic design - there's genuinely no bad seat in the house.

During the concert

The lights dim, the room settles, and the musicians play. Applause is warm between pieces - there's no strict formality here, just people listening closely to something extraordinary.

After

Head back out to the Terrace for a drink under the stars, or carry the night on into Cairns - Salt House and 3 Wolves are both an easy walk away.

The foyer

The Terrace

Inside the theatre

Here's what that actually feels like.

Opening Night, “Cairns Crescendo,” AFCM 2026

Hear Great Leave Greater Hear Great Leave Greater

The things that might be holding you back (and why they're not a problem)

Five honest questions people ask us before their first AFCM concert - and the specific, factual answers.

“Is it hard to get to?”

Not at all. CPAC has its own free carpark, reached via Grafton, Sheridan or Florence Streets, plus free and paid street parking nearby. If you're flying in, Cairns Airport is an official AFCM partner - when the Festival first arrived in Cairns-Gimuy, the airport welcomed it with a live musical performance right in the terminal.

Cairns Airport's musical welcome performance, an AFCM partnership

“Will I be able to get around, or will it suit my needs?”

CPAC is fully accessible: a lift to every level, four unisex accessible bathrooms, and hearing loops at the box office, bar, theatre and studio. Flexible seating - end-of-row, no stairs, or a dedicated wheelchair space - can be arranged through the Box Office when you book. Assistance animals are welcome and Companion Card is supported.

There's also a quiet room with a one-way-glass view of the stage and an adjustable live audio feed - built with parents of young children in mind, but open to anyone who needs a calmer space during the performance. For the full detail, see CPAC's own accessibility information.

“Will I feel out of place?”

No - first-timers make up a real part of every AFCM audience. Ushers, volunteers and the Festival team are there for exactly this reason: to help you find your seat, answer a quick question, or point you the right way. Nobody's watching to see if you know the "rules."

“What about food?”

Cairns has become a genuine food destination, and dinner or a nightcap is an easy walk from CPAC in either direction. During interval, look for La Prova - an Adelaide Hills wine and AFCM's official festival wine - available at the bar.

“Is this music still relevant to me?”

More than you'd think. Chamber music scores half the films you love, it's a tap away on any streaming app, and its audiences at AFCM span every age - from school groups to lifelong subscribers. It's not a museum piece; it's very much alive.

A quick, honest answer - in under a minute

Ready for your first night?

Now you know exactly what to expect - the room, the evening, and the answers to what was holding you back. All that's left is to save your seat for AFCM 2027.

Join the AFCM 2027 Priority List Full CPAC accessibility information

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What is chamber music?

No conductor, just a handful of the world's finest musicians listening hard to each other.

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