Taste Port Douglas Food & Drink Festival is expanding the definition of a food festival in 2026, unveiling a wellness-led program designed for lifestyle travellers who want to feel as good as they eat. Returning from 6 to 9 August 2026 for its 10-year anniversary, the festival will pair world-class food and drink with a curated line-up of movement, mindful moments and feel-good experiences set between the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
From sun-warmed sands on Four Mile Beach to first-light dancefloors at Rex Smeal Park, the 2026 wellness program invites guests to start their days with energy, connection and a distinctly tropical sense of ease.
Festival Director Reina Patrick said the anniversary year is about celebrating the full Taste Port Douglas experience, including the rituals that make a long weekend away feel restorative.
“People come to Taste Port Douglas for the food, but they leave talking about how the festival feels, the setting, the friendships, the moments between events,” Patrick said.
“In 2026, we’re leaning into that lifestyle side of the festival with wellness experiences that help guests reset and recharge, from beach yoga and gut-friendly living to an all-new sunrise coffee rave by the sea.”
WELLNESS AT TASTE PORT DOUGLAS: PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
SUNRISE SESSION: SOBER RAVE (COFFEE RAVE)
New for 2026, Sunrise Session: Coffee Rave is a vibrant, alcohol-free sunrise dance party at the Lexus Culinary Pavilion, Rex Smeal Park. From 5:00am, the waterfront becomes a beachfront dancefloor as the sky shifts through soft colour and the Port Douglas coastline begins to glow.
ARIA Club Chart DJ Hayley Maree and Queensland favourite DJ Just Andy will play live from 5:00am, with guests able to choose their own vibe: come for a coffee and a bite, dance non-stop, or drop into guided movement sessions led by Petra from Yoga in the Tropics. As the sun rises, guests can join breathwork, a yoga flow and intuitive dance for an energising reset.
Breakfast bites will be available from beloved Port Douglas breakfast haunts, alongside local Tablelands Jack Murat Coffee, bubble teas and other brews from Macrossan Street favourite Steep, plus a curated selection of alcohol-free beverages.
Date and time: Saturday 8 August, 5:00am to 8:00am AEST
Location: The Lexus Culinary Pavilion, Rex Smeal Park, 17A Wharf Street, Port Douglas
Ticket offer: Introductory 2-for-1 on paid tickets until Sunday 31 May 2026 Event page: https://www.tasteportdouglas.com.au/sunrise-session-sober-rave
RECOVERY YOGA WITH YOGA IN THE TROPICS
For guests who want to start the day slowly and intentionally, Recovery Yoga returns with 60-minute guided sessions on Four Mile Beach, directly in front of Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas. Designed to help guests reset, recharge and savour every moment of the festival weekend, each class begins with a vibrant Jamu turmeric shot from local producer The Kefir Queen.
Dates and time: Friday 7 August and Sunday 10 August, 8:00am to 9:00am AEST
Location: Four Mile Beach (meet at the resort Chapel), Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas
Tickets: $30 per person Note: No Recovery Yoga is scheduled on Saturday 8 August. Guests are invited to join Sunrise Session: Coffee Rave instead. Event page: https://www.tasteportdouglas.com.au/recovery-yoga-with-yoga-in-the-tropics
GUT FRIENDLY LIVING: COOKING & MOVING FOR HEALTH WITH JO WHITTON (QUIRKY COOKING)
Part of the Moffat Masterclass Series, this feel-good session with wellness cook and community favourite Jo Whitton (Quirky Cooking) blends gut-friendly cooking with simple, supportive movement that can be done anywhere. The morning begins with a gentle “nervous system and digestion reset” on the Sheraton lawns, focusing on breathing, body awareness and light functional movement.
Guests will then head to the Harrisons masterclass space on the Terrace for a practical cooking demonstration with audience participation, featuring Jo’s signature back-to-basics approach: nourishing, fuss-free recipes built around whole foods that support digestion and everyday health. On arrival, guests will be welcomed with a gut-friendly drink by local producer The Kefir Queen, and Jo’s demonstrated dish will be served as an individual plate for every guest.
Date and time: Friday 7 August, 8:30am to 10:00am AEST
Location: Harrisons Restaurant (Level 1, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas)
Event page: https://www.tasteportdouglas.com.au/gut-friendly-living-cooking-and-moving-for-health-with-jo-whitton
AQUA SCULPT FLOATING FITNESS
Aqua Sculpt Floating Fitness invites guests to experience fitness in a unique way at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas. The session brings together yoga-inspired movement and water-based training designed to engage the core and challenge balance in a fun, uplifting format.
Date and time: Saturday 8 August, 7:00am to 8:00am AEST
Location: Main Beach Pool, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas)
Event listing: https://sheratongrandmirage.ipoolside.com/
Tickets and additional program information are available at https://www.tasteportdouglas.com.au .
