After months of planning and organisation, the Special Olympics Trans Tasman Tournament is finally here.

From today, more than 300 athletes with an intellectual disability from around Australia and New Zealand will compete in four Olympic type sports events - soccer, basketball, tenpin blowing and athletics.

The Tournament will run until Friday.

This is the first of what organisers hope will be many Special Olympic events in the region.

Event chair Georgie Montague said the Cairns community had pulled out all the stops to ensure a successful event.

“We have had local businesses donate close to $20,000 to the cause as well as more than 100 people come forward as volunteers," Ms Montague said.

“For many of the athletics this will be their first international competition offering opening and closing ceremonies. There will be a range of activities including raising of the Special Olympics flag and lighting the cauldron at Barlow Park,” she said.

Ms Montague said the Law Enforcement Torch Run with the Flame of Hope would also add something special to the event.

“The first Torch Run will be during the day between 12 and 1.30pm and will cover a 5km loop of the Cairns city."

Ms Montague believed the run would generate a lot of enthusiasm and awareness among tourists, locals, spectators and Special Olympics athletes.

The far north will see four of its athletes don the Queensland colours as Ryan Draper and Alex Smith of Cairns and Damian Seawright, from Bramston Beach and Faye Micallef of Innisfail compete in tenpin bowling.