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, roving entertainment, market stalls and more. The festival will return over the Labour Day long weekend, from Saturday March 8 to Monday March 10. It will run from 10am to 5pm, and entry is free!
Ballarat Begonia Festival
This enchanting flower festival takes place every year. Wander over to the Ballarat 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. See thousands of begonias, including over 500 rare varieties, as well as dreamy lavender and plenty of lush greenery. The free display will be open longer this year, so you’ll have more time to take it all in.
Other festival highlights include:
Begonia Parade
The Power FM Ballarat Begonia Parade will return with community groups, schools and local businesses taking part in a procession along Wendouree Parade. This event will take place on Monday March 10.
Family entertainment
New to the festival this year is the interactive performance installation, The Last Numbat. This large-scale marionette from Spare Parts Puppet Theatre is controlled by up to 14 participants at a time.
There will also be plenty of other free puppet and comedy shows throughout the festival, as well as roving entertainment and interactive workshops.
The kids will have plenty of fun, with activities like rock climbing, giant garden games, Integra Tiny Town, arts and crafts, face painting, a scavenger hunt and more.
Main Stage
Throughout the three-day event, there will be celebrity presenters and industry experts sharing their knowledge on the Main Stage, including Costa Georgiadis, Millie Ross, Mindy Wood, Liam Downes and Chloe Thomson.
Market
Browse through plenty of market stalls, featuring a variety of plants, flowers and other garden-related gifts.
Food and drink
Sip on local beers, wines and spirits from the Begonia Bar and find something to eat from one of the many food trucks.