Dress up, gather your favourite people and make a proper day of Melbourne Cup at SAILS Port Douglas.

This year, we're taking Cup Day upstairs for an intimate waterfront celebration overlooking the Port Douglas marina. Settle in for six hours of good food, great drinks and live entertainment, with the Melbourne Cup LIVE & LOUD when it matters.

Your day includes a generous three-stage grazing menu, four-hour beverage package, live acoustic entertainment before the race and music into the afternoon, along with Fashions on the Field, Melbourne Cup sweeps and plenty of prizes.

No rushing off after the race. No changing venues.

Your table. Your people. One very good afternoon.

Come early. We're starting at 11am.

We'll ease into Cup Day with arrival grazing, drinks and live acoustic music while everyone settles in upstairs.

Before the main race, we'll open our substantial grazing lunch and keep the Melbourne Cup broadcast running throughout the venue.

Around the big race, the music stops and the volume goes up. Melbourne Cup will be LIVE & LOUD, so you won't miss the moment everyone came for.

After the race, dessert arrives and the afternoon shifts gears with more live entertainment and music through until 5pm.

Along the way, expect Fashions on the Field, traditional Melbourne Cup sweeps, prizes and a few reasons to show off whatever you've decided to put on your head.

Your Melbourne Cup experience at SAILS Port Douglas includes:

• Six-hour ticketed event from 11am–5pm
• Four-hour beverage package from 11am–3pm
• Three-stage Melbourne Cup grazing menu
• Live acoustic entertainment before the race
• Melbourne Cup LIVE & LOUD
• Post-race DJ or live entertainment
• Fashions on the Field
• Melbourne Cup sweeps
• Raffles and prizes
• Waterfront atmosphere upstairs at SAILS Port Douglas
• Bar available from 3pm–5pm after the package concludes

Cup Day deserves more than a couple of canapés.

Our chefs are creating a generous three-stage grazing menu designed to take you from arrival right through to something sweet after the big race.

Arrival & Entrée Grazing

A selection of lighter bites will be ready as you arrive, grab your first drink and settle in for the day.

Barramundi Betel (LG, DF)

• Smoked local barra, crispy pork, green nam jim, betel leaf

Freshly shucked Oyster (LG, DF)

• Natural, bloody mary granita, finger lime-gin

Pumpkin and Pinenut Arancini (V, N)

• Tablelands feta, housemade sugo

Substantial Lunch Grazing

Before the race, we'll move into more substantial lunch-style canapés, served in generous grazing stations and replenished throughout lunch.

Chicken satay (LG, DF, N)

Grilled turmeric chicken tenderloin, housemade peanut sauce, chilli

Lamb Ribs (LG, DF, N)

• Twice cooked lamb ribs, honey-soy glaze, smoked almond dukkah

Pork Belly Sliders (DF)

• 5-spice pork belly, asian slaw, sriracha mayo, brioche

Dessert Grazing

Once the Cup has been run, the dessert station opens with a selection of bite-sized sweets to take you into the afternoon.

Banana Fritters (DF)

• Local bananas, palm sugar caramel

Salted Caramel Tart

• Shortcrust pastry, berries

Sticky Date Pudding

• Butterscotch, berries

Your ticket includes a four-hour beverage package from 11am–3pm, featuring a considered selection of sparkling, wine, cocktails and Hemingway's craft beer.

Beverage package

• Brut sparkling
• Selected SAILS wines
• Two Cup Day cocktails
• Hemingway's Canecutter Session Lager
• Hemingway's 7th Heaven Tropical Ale
• Hemingway's Pitchfork Betty's Pale Ale
• Soft drinks and juices

From 3pm–5pm, the bar remains open for drinks to purchase while the entertainment continues.

It's Melbourne Cup. Dressing up is half the fun.

We'll be running Fashions on the Field during the day, with generous prizes.

There'll also be Melbourne Cup sweeps, raffles and a prize pool featuring SAILS, Hemingway's and Devils Thumb prizes and venue vouchers.

So yes, this is an entirely reasonable excuse to buy the hat.

The race might stop the nation, but it only takes a few minutes.

We'll have live acoustic entertainment setting the mood from late morning and into lunch before handing the room over to the Melbourne Cup broadcast for the main race.

After the Cup, our live entertainment takes over as we turn the energy up and continue the afternoon until 5pm.

Entertainment announcement coming soon.

Yes. We're showing the Melbourne Cup live.

Race coverage will be available throughout the event, with the main race shown LIVE & LOUD upstairs at SAILS.

That means you can enjoy lunch, drinks and the atmosphere without disappearing to another venue or trying to watch the Cup on someone's phone.

What: Melbourne Cup at SAILS Port Douglas
Date: Tuesday 3 November 2026
Time: 11am–5pm
Where: Upstairs at SAILS Port Douglas
Food: Three-stage canapé grazing menu
Drinks: Four-hour beverage package, 11am–3pm
Race: Melbourne Cup LIVE & LOUD
Entertainment: Live entertainment before and after the race
Also: Fashions on the Field, sweeps, raffles and prizes
Tickets: Early Bird $149 | General $169

Where can I celebrate Melbourne Cup in Port Douglas in 2026?

SAILS Port Douglas is hosting a ticketed Melbourne Cup celebration upstairs overlooking the marina on Tuesday 3 November 2026. The event runs from 11am–5pm and includes a three-stage grazing menu, four-hour drinks package, live entertainment, the Melbourne Cup LIVE & LOUD, Fashions on the Field, sweeps and prizes.

What time does the SAILS Port Douglas Melbourne Cup event start?

Doors open at 11am, with the event running until 5pm.

Is food included in the Melbourne Cup ticket?

Yes. Your ticket includes a three-stage grazing menu, beginning with lighter arrival bites, followed by substantial lunch-style grazing before the race and dessert after the Melbourne Cup.

Are drinks included?

Yes. A four-hour beverage package runs from 11am–3pm and includes selected sparkling, SAILS wines, two set cocktails, Hemingway's craft beers, soft drinks and juices. Drinks can be purchased from the bar between 3pm and 5pm.

Will the Melbourne Cup be shown live?

Yes. Race coverage will be available during the event, with the main Melbourne Cup race shown LIVE & LOUD.

Is there entertainment after the Melbourne Cup?

Yes. Entertainment resumes after the main race and continues through the afternoon until the event finishes at 5pm.

Is there Fashions on the Field?

Yes. Guests are encouraged to dress for the occasion, with Fashions on the Field and prizes during the event.

Do I need to book?

Yes. This is a ticketed Melbourne Cup event with limited capacity upstairs at SAILS Port Douglas. Advance booking is recommended.