Be Blown Away By Bright Blooms At The Ballarat Begonia Festival This March
This will be the festival’s 70th year.
Even though summer is coming to an end, there are still plenty of beautiful flowers to admire. Drive out to Ballarat this March and check out thousands of these pretty plants. Horticulturalists nurture the begonias for ten months of the year, and their collection is the rarest in the southern hemisphere. Up until 2020, this festival attracted over 60, 000 visitors to Ballarat every March long weekend. Take a day trip or enjoy a weekend escape, and see the Ballarat Begonia Festival for yourself from March 11 to 20.
Ballarat Begonia Festival
Across ten days this March, the Ballarat Begonia Festival is set to entertain and enchant. On top of the begonia display, there will be live music, workshops, markets, roving performers and more. The festival will take place in both the Ballarat Botanical Gardens and in the Ballarat CBD. This festival is completely free, so you don’t need to worry about getting a ticket.
“The Ballarat Begonia Festival is a unique and authentic part of the Ballarat story,” said Councillor Daniel Moloney. “The festival plays a significant role in attracting visitors to Ballarat and promoting our city as a vibrant, active, and nature-based destination, as well as strengthening community pride.”
Start your festival experience by walking through the Robert Clark Conservatory and admiring the display of 700 begonias.
See three laneways come to life with artistic installations inspired by nature and the begonias. Co-created by artists Hatti Molloy and Esther Olsson, these immersive displays will take over McKenzie Street, Hop Lane and Police Lane.
During the festival, try out some cool workshops, like painting your own begonias or trying out some honey tasting.
Over the March long weekend, from the 12th to the 14th, the festival will up the ante. There will be a Main Stage of live performers, as well as live musicians throughout the Botanical Gardens. There will also be a vast range of food trucks and local vendors, so that you don’t have to worry about finding a bite to eat.
Over the long weekend, there will also be a Creatives Market in the Gardens so you can have a browse. For the green thumbs, there will also be a Gardeners Market.
Making a return this year will be the giant swan, the BEGONIA letters and the floral clock. Meanwhile, the Power FM Begonia Festival Parade will take place on Monday March 14, ending the long weekend in style. This parade usually attracts 10, 000 people a year.
Check out their website to explore the full program of the Ballarat Begonia Festival.