Pip Miller PR

The Pier is going all out as Festival Cairns headquarters in 2008 and to celebrate will hold a series of Family Fun Days starting opening weekend - Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August 08. Entertainers, Rachel Bradley (who is also a facepainter of incredible talent), Terry Doyle and Danny Simony will join forces to give kids a great time while mum and dad enjoy breaky on the boardwalk.

To promote The Pier’s involvement and also the distribution of the program in this Friday’s Cairns Post - a special photo shoot was held today featuring none other than the entertainment group above and my two youngest children, India and Felix….

Have a look at the special pictures taken on my i-phone….

On Saturday night I was honoured to be on the judging panel of this year’s CAD Fashion Parade at Cairns State High School. What a talented bunch of students! This year’s theme took its cue from the letter ‘e’ and as such, the budding fashion designers were asked to select a theme for their entry’s inspiration - be it ENVY, ENERGY, EVOLVE or ETHEREAL. There was a prize for both senior and junior students in each category and an overall award for Supreme Designer.

The judging was a tough assignment, but one which I relished and enjoyed immensely - being able to witness such great talent. Watch this space for the Grace, Meghan and Imogens….of this world - whose designs could very well be the next big thing on Australian catwalks of the future.

Here are some pictures:::and the winners below::::

Envy Category: Meghan Young - Senior; Clair Geerlings - Junior
Evolve Category: Imogen Gilchrist - Senior; Stella Grossman and Miriam McBride - Junior
Energy: Chloe Young
Ethereal: Grace An - Senior; Cecilia Cole and Gabi Wall - Junior

Supreme Designer Award - Imogen Gilchrist.

On Friday night we were thoroughly entertained at the opening night of JUTE (Just Us Theatre Ensemble’s) new play, Tiptoe.

Featuring a wonderful cast (including JUTE’s creative director, Suellen Maunder and Carol Burns of Prisoner cell block h fame), this was a joyous piece of theatre. And definitely a gothic tale by Cairns playwright, Michael Beresford…and before I stop crowing, must acknowledge the talent of Dominie Hooper who created the set - a masterful, multi-dimensional creation - to be admire.

To anyone who reads this blog, mes amies - would strongly recommend you get along to JUTE before the season ends on Saturday 19 July 2008.

Headaches, heartaches - alas, the end of the fin year is nigh….

Another busy week in the land of Festival Cairns 2008 - meetings with a Pandora’s Box of passionate event partners - namely The Leukaemia Foundation and their fabulous initiative, Festival Cairns Ambassador Quest - more about that later - The Tanks and their great program comprising everything from poetry slamming to kinky cabaret, king of rock Dave Graney and South Australian band with the mostest, The Audreys….checked into a meeting at BDO Kendalls to discuss the party of the program, the coveted VIP finale - very exciting to think we are focussing on the end already…what else is there - oh yeah, how could I forget about the DUCK RACE - Calanna Rotary Duck Race plus Crikey Catch a Croc and way more.

What else has been on this week’s agenda - well rather aptly, have been working on Horizon Financial’s brochure - so ask me anything about home loans, personal loans and finance in general from a broker’s perspective and I could tell ya a tale or two.

Then there is the guest list for Movenpick’s new ice-cream galleria that opens on 11 July - been playing my part there in between writing pressers, pressers and more pressers for all my lovely clients.

Last week was a break from convention when I was the Cairns media liaison for CSIRO’s big sub-marine volcano discovery off north east coast of FIJI - lots of media interest and a great one to work on - as was the Make a Wish Foundation’s inaugural I Wish My Boss Was Day…see pics - funny stuff.

On a personal front - family has been shining its competitive streak with the big kids tickling the ivories in Cairns Eisteddfod and running their hardest in today’s sports carnival - and they did a grand job too….

This is my first official blog!  I have been threatening to write one forever and finally, here we go.

Very exciting week in the offing.  Lots of work to do that includes writing a guest list for a new ice-cream boutique launch in July, re-writing a brochure for Horizon Financial, issuing any number of press releases and coordination of a media launch to unveil new marine research findings by the CSIRO…then there is Make a Wish Foundation’s “I Wish My Boss Was….” Day etc.

Festival Cairns 08 is hotting up for another year…now in its seventh year….how time flies.  This year’s theme, Love Cairns, Love the Environment will provide great pr possibilities and lots of great events in the program. 

This week is the Event Partner’s Briefing with the big launch scheduled for 6 August.  Lots of work between now and then….media kit, national publicity - yikes.

What else is happening, well, am working on Juniper Development’s shiniest jewel in Port Douglas - Coconut Grove - all set to open in July 08 - then there is Paradise Palms’ new restaurant, 59 Restaurant and Bar opening 1 July and Castaways’ new conference centre at Mission Beach - also opening in July.

In the meantime, working hard on Hilton’s domestic campaign and hoping to lure and secure a series of famils and media publicity for Hilton and their three very value-packed deals.  Sadly, said good-bye to Hilton’s marketing exec, Gail Morrow on Friday - off to London to work with Hilton Worldwide Resorts - very exciting for her and takes me back down memory lane to the wonderful working holiday I enjoyed in London - from 1990 to 1992.

What else?  REally great to see and hear the publicity issued on Friday for the Tableland coffee growers awarded $9.1 million in compo  - Adam Stephen on today’s Country Hour (ABC) filed a great report featuring interview with Nat Jacques of Jacques coffee. 

All for now.

PIP