Spring is a beautiful time of year, and it’s just around the corner. Fresh buds bloom, the chill of winter slowly fades and all across Australia, festive celebrations play out in a flurry of colours as the crisp new beginnings of Mother Nature take centre stage. Here are our top five favourite garden and flower festivals to catch in Australia this spring.
Floriade, Canberra ACT
12 September to 11 October, 2015.
Over one million flowers bloom in perfect time for Australia’s biggest springtime celebration, Floriade, held annually in Canberra. A month-long free event, over 400,000 visitors flock here to wander the beautiful flower displays, take part in workshops and talks with gardening experts, watch cooking demonstrations and enjoy great musical acts in the beautiful surrounds. A kid-friendly line-up of activities also plays out throughout the day, and over five glorious nights, the Floriade Nightfest springs to life with music, comedians, markets and entertainment. Catch the action at Canberra’s Commonwealth Park.
Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival, Cowra NSW
26 September, 2015
Experience traditional Japanese culture in the heart of NSW at Sakura Matsuri, held in the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre in perfect time for the full bloom of the cherry blossoms. A major event for Cowra, it attracts performers from across Australia and around the world to celebrate the birth of spring. This year the festival line-up includes karate, sumo, drumming performances, origami, kite making, a tea ceremony, bonsai, calligraphy and an appearance by the Torsion Youth Choreographic Ensemble. There’s also plenty of food, entertainment and market stalls.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, Toowomba QLD
18 to 27 September, 2015.
The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is the longest-running event of its kind in Australia – now in its 66th year – and it gets bigger and better every time. A colourful 10-day celebration of floral-themed fun, gardening displays and cultural events, there’s no better time to visit Toowoomba, located an hour-and-a-half’s drive west of Brisbane. Wander the parks and gardens, the food and wine stalls and the flower and plant shows at your own pace, or join a tour that zig-zags across town and ventures into impressive local home gardens. Festival highlights include the fabulous floral parade, gala dinner, live concerts, free kids’ day and the classic car, bike and hot rod show.
Kings Park Festival, Perth WA
1 to 30 September, 2015.
Kicking off on the first day of spring, the month-long Kings Park Festival celebrates the beautiful wildflowers that bloom across the state at this time of year. Originally known as the Perth Wildflower Festival, there’s certainly no shortage of magnificent wildflowers on show. Take a guided wildflower walk in one of five languages, join a workshop or browse the native plant sales, family activities, outdoor art exhibits and live music concerts. Catch the action at beautiful Kings Park, just a few minutes’ drive from the CBD.
Bloomin’ Tulips Festival, Wynyard TAS
October 10, 2015
The Bloomin’ Tulips festival is Waratah-Wynyard’s annual celebration of springtime colour and happiness, set on the banks of the Inglis River overlooking the spectacular tulip fields of Table Cape. A three-week long festival from late September through to early spring, there’s a range of community-based events including a fabulous foreshore market held on the first and third Sunday of the month. The big drawcard event on the calendar is the Festival Day, on October 10, when the town springs to life with live music and entertainment, arts and crafts markets, a gala ball and cocktail party. It all concludes with a bang: fireworks over the river.
Other flower festivals worth travelling for:
Wildflower Festival, Cranbourne VIC
Spring Open Day, South Yarra VIC
Renmark Rose Festival, Renmark SA
Spring Tulip Festival, TAS
Ginger Flower Festival, Sunshine Coast QLD
Willunga Almond Blossom Festival, SA
Tesselaar Tulip Festival, VIC
Leura Garden Festival, NSW
Jacaranda Festival, Grafton NSW
Blackheath Rhododendron Festival, NSW
Tulip Time Festival, NSW
Have you ever been to a flower festival or garden show? Are you going back this year? What do you love about them? Does it inspire you to do more at home?
