Mini Makers Market Call Out
Calling Young Makers
Applications are now closed.
Cairns Children's Festival is seeking expressions of interest from stallholders for its inaugural Mini Makers Market.
We’re on the hunt for young makers aged 7–17 to join our Mini Makers Market at Tanks Arts Centre and Cairns Botanic Gardens on Sunday 17 May 2026. With a jam-packed day of creativity and exploration, the festival puts little people with BIG ideas in the spotlight and welcomes around 8,000 kids and their families on the day.
The Mini Makers Market provides a vibrant platform for young entrepreneurs to showcase their creativity, innovation, and develop life and business skills. Participants will run their own market stalls, gaining hands-on experience in communication, teamwork and problem-solving. Beyond entrepreneurship and fun, the Mini Makers Market will foster confidence, creativity, and community connection, aligning with the Cairns Children’s Festival mission to inspire imagination and celebrate young people’s ideas and energy. This activation will add a lively, family-friendly element to the festival precinct and spotlight the next generation of makers, tinkerers and dreamers.
- Event: Cairns Children’s Festival Mini Makers Market
- Date: Sunday 17 May 2026*
- Time: 9:00am - 2:00pm
- Location: Tanks Arts Centre, Collins Ave, Edge Hill QLD
*Please ensure you are available on this date before submitting your application.
- Applications open: Monday 1 December 2025
- Applications close: Sunday 15 March 2026 (11:59pm)
- Application outcomes notified by: 31 March 2026
- Successful vendor fees due by: Friday 10 April 2026 (4:00pm)
- Mentorship Workshop 1: Friday 17 April 2026 (10:30am)
- Mentorship Workshop 2: Sunday 26 April 2026 (10:30am)
- Event delivery: Sunday 17 May 2026
- Ages: 7–17 years
- Products: All items should be hand crafted. Examples include artwork, prints, live caricature, sewn, knitted, weaved or crocheted goods, jewellery, charms, pre-baked goodies, candles, soaps, cards, books, plants, upcycled crafts, décor pieces and trinkets - the sky’s the limit!
- Mentorship: Older youth stallholders from the Tanks Markets will assist as mentors and support workshop delivery, promoting leadership and connection between younger children and youth participants.
- Self-sufficiency: Stallholders are encouraged to be self-sufficient and bring all the resources they need. They will be responsible for setting up and presenting their market stall, including providing all equipment and materials such as marquees, tables, chairs, décor, point of sale (e.g. cash and or square) and any other items required.
- Parental involvement: Parents and guardians are welcome in a supportive capacity only. Children are encouraged to be resourceful, independent, and to problem-solve as part of their learning experience.
Note: stallholders will be selected based on applications
Successful applicants must pay all vendor fees by Friday 10 April 2026 (4:00pm) to guarantee a place at the Cairns Children’s Festival.
Note: The Stallholder fee has been subsidised to ensure participation is accessible and is intended only to cover essential event costs.
- $30 Stallholder fee includes:
- Cover for Public Liability Insurance
- Professionally printed corflute sign (with your stall name as listed in your application) - Yours to keep!
- 2 x mentoring workshops
- 1 x branded t-shirt: “I’m a Mini Market Maker” - Additional branded t-shirts available to registered stallholders for a fee of $20 each
Please contact the Mini Makers Market coordinator, Megan Greene at CairnsChildrensFestival@cairns.qld.gov.au
Sat 17 May | Sun 18 May | 
A huge thank you to our generous sponsors Pacific Toyota and Inspired Signs for their incredible support! Your contributions help make Cairns Children's Festival possible.
Last Updated: 16 March 2026
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