
Photo credit: Victoria Veton
The 2026 Ingham Maraka Festival's Rio Carnival theme brought colour, music and celebration to the streets, with the community turning out to enjoy the festivities.
The festival finale saw the crowning of Maraka's newest royalty, as Janae Pearce was named 2026 Maraka Queen, with Brianna Lamari taking runner-up. Tilly Poppi was crowned Maraka Princess, joined by runner-up Lucy Egan and Miss Personality Kadence Torrisi.
The Queen and Princess Quests attracted increased interest this year, with entrants embracing the opportunity to represent their community and carry forward a much-loved annual tradition.