Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers

Published on May 29th, 2016

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It’s time to Carnival!

Prepare to eat and play among the petals at the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers: September 16-25, 2016 – featuring 2016 Interflora Australia Cup winner Annita Bokobli + Chelsea Flower Show award winner Charlie Albone, Celebrity chef Miguel Maestre, The Whitlams and the Toowoomba Concert Orchestra, Tim Finn, Katie Noonan, Birds of Tokyo, Montaigne, Emma Louise,  The Chantoozies, Eurogliders, Models, Mashd N Kutcher and The Royal Family of Strange People!

To say prepare your petals, ready your ears and cleanse your palates is an understatement because the 67thToowoomba Carnival of Flowers has unveiled a program of headliners across music, food, wine, floral art and gardening that is testament to its position as one of the country’s most acclaimed special events.

A breathtaking 10 days of flowers, flavours and sounds, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will take over the Southern Queensland city in the most beautiful of ways from September 16 to 25 with a program of more than 50 unique events and experiences including internationally acclaimed musical acts, award winning parks, some of the best food and wine to be found in Southern Queensland and a multitude of cultural adventures. (Interviews, imagery, the full program and more available on request).

In a major floral design coup, Carnival will this year host three of Australia’s leading names in Charlie Albone, Annita Bokobli and Bart Hassam.

WA-based Annita Bokobli is the current 2016 Interflora Australia Cup winner, the country’s most prestigious award for individual floral designers. Landscape designer and Selling Houses Australia presenter Charlie Albone is a Chelsea Flower Garden Show winner and an inspiring design leader, and a Carnival favourite.  Four-time Australian Interflora Florist of the year and Intercontinental Asia Cup winner, Brisbane-based Bart Hassam has been applauded all over the world for his floral design skills. All three will create floral installations and take part in a range of events.

Musically, the lineup is the envy of festivals nationally with Australian music royalty set to perform over three days at the Ergon Energy Flower, Food and Wine Festival – the internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Tim Finn; The Whitlams with the Toowoomba Concert Orchestra in what will be a spectacular concert event; acclaimed songstress Katie Noonan, and a rollcall of musical greats in Birds of Tokyo, Montaigne, Emma Louise, The Chantoozies, Eurogliders and the Models. At Sideshow Alley super-hot DJs Mashd N Kutcher lead the charge on stage.

One of the most popular chefs in the country in Miguel Maestre will lend his acclaimed blend of culinary flavour and personality to Carnival this year, supported by a range of local chefs and the best regional produce there is.

This year the city’s parks will take centrestage in a program of hosted walking tours and visits – Laurel Bank Park, Queens Park, Picnic Point and Spring Bluff will all be carefully curated into sensational Spring flower displays, while the myriad of community floral events add to the blanket of colour that covers the city during Carnival.

In a first for the city and for Carnival, a new welcoming program called Carnival Greeters will take place for the 10 days. More than 50 Carnival Greeters will be on hand throughout the city, to guide visitors and locals alike on walks and tours and to offer colourful insights into the Carnival experience.

The Grand Central Floral Parade remains firmly at the heart of this world-class celebration and once again will bring the city to a brilliant standstill on Saturday September 17 when more than 100,000 people line the streets!

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said the Carnival was and would continue to be a standout event on the Australian calendar. “With 67 years of floral magic under its belt, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers continues to build audiences and extend programming parameters, both important milestones as a leading event for locals and visitors alike,” he said. “This year’s floral program is one of the best, promising breathtaking displays of botanic brilliance across floral exhibits, fresh flower markets, glorious garden tours, floristry competitions and more. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Toowoomba in September.”

Attracting tourists from Queensland, interstate and internationally, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is the longest-running floral event of its kind in Australia, defying drought and flood to grow bigger, brighter and ever more colourful each yea, bannered with the welcoming theme of EAT, LAUGH, PLAY, STAY.

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers: A history

Since its inception in 1949, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has flourished and is now an iconic Queensland event.  The brainchild of Essex Tait and the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, Carnival was introduced as a way for the city to use their “Garden City” reputation to promote increased economic activity following the recent hardships of war. On October 21, 1950 the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers commenced with a street procession that stretched three miles in length. Led by a bullock team and watched by a crowd estimated to be 50,000 strong, the Parade was a resounding success. The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers subsequently became firmly cemented as an annual event. Last year the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers won Best Festival and Event at the annual Australian Tourism Awards. A title a long time coming!

Event Details:

Guided tours are available and can be booked online at www.tcof.com.au or by calling Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers on 07 4688 6661

Ticket details for the Ergon Energy Flower, Food and Wine Festival, including the Heritage Bank Live

Concert Series, can be viewed at www.tcof.com.au.