The spectacular Ballarat Begonia Festival is coming back this autumn. Take a day trip or enjoy a weekend escape to this regional city, and admire thousands of pretty plants. The free outdoor event will feature magnificent flower displays, celebrity presenters, roving entertainment, live music and more. This year, the festival will bloom from March 11 to 13.
Ballarat Begonia Festival
This enchanting flower festival takes place every year. Visit the 150-year-old Botanical Gardens, and admire the begonia display in the Robert Clark Conservatory. Horticulturalists nurture the begonias for ten months of the year, and their collection is the rarest in the southern hemisphere. The display this year will showcase a whopping one thousand begonia plants.
Other festival highlights include:
PowerFM Begonia Festival Parade
The annual parade will return to the festival this year, and is expected to attract 10,000 people. The full line-up will be announced closer to the date. The parade will kick off at 11am on Monday March 13.
Bloom! By SWAY
Melbourne-based performing arts company, SWAY, will present a colourful aerial spectacle on top of 15-foot sway poles. Watch in amazement as four talented artists perform their aerial antics over 2o terrific minutes.
Main Stage
Head to the garden’s Main Stage for demonstrations, workshops and live talks. Get some gardening advice, watch Indigenous-inspired cooking demonstrations, learn about beekeeping and more!
Family Activities
Have fun with heaps of family-friendly activities, including Integra Tiny Town. This space features mini cubbies that encourage kids to play and engage with the community. Cubby settings include a flower shop, a police station and an ice cream café. Other activities include an obstacle course, a sports zone and face paining.
During the festival, you’ll see plenty of roving entertainment, including bees, butterflies and ladybugs on stilts meandering around the gardens.
Market
Browse through over 20 market stalls, including local nurseries. Find a range of plants, flowers and garden gifts, and enjoy a bit of the festival in your own home by buying a begonia plant.
Food and drink
Be sure to check out the new Begonia Bar while you’re there. Located in the garden’s courtyard, this bar by Kilderkin Distillery features Larrikin Gin cocktails, local wines, beers and cider. Sip on a drink while listening to local DJs spin some tunes.
The festival will have two food court areas filled with food trucks. Open from 10am to 5pm daily, you’ll find plenty of delicious bites, including pizza, paella, toasties, ice cream and doughnuts.
The Ballarat Begonia Festival is free to attend. For more information, click here.