Toowoomba’s parks and public spaces prepare for Carnival of Flowers

Toowoomba’s parks and public spaces will once again be celebrating the award-winning Queensland event - Carnival of Flowers - during September, creating a spectacular canvas of colour across the city and featuring more than 30 events and activations with 20 local tour departures ready to go.

Since its inception in 1949, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has flourished and is now a popular Queensland event. Carnival was introduced as a way for the city to use its “Garden City” reputation to promote increased economic activity following the hardships of war. On 21st October, 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, it was a resounding success, as it has been ever since.

In 2020, twilight Tours of Laurel Bank Park will take place mid-week, hosted by the Toowoomba Regional Council Parks and Recreation team. The Night Garden will be unfenced this year at the Botanic Gardens, open for 10 nights from 18th to 27th September.

The Ferris Wheel at the Botanic Gardens will also operate for the 10 days providing the best way to see the splendour of Queens Park.

While musical entertainment in the parks cannot go ahead because of Government guidelines, four local chalk artists will bring their talent to Queens Park Botanic Gardens as part of the new Artists-in-Residence program each weekend in September.

The Grand Central Floral Parade will become a static installation of decorated floats throughout Grand Central Shopping Centre in the heart of the city. The static Parade of Colour this September school holidays, will reflect the city’s incredible community spirit.

To celebrate 71 years since the first parade made its way through the city, the Itty-Bitty Grand Central Floral Parade, featuring miniature floats, will take place as a virtual parade at 3pm on Saturday 19th September.

New to 2020 is a region-wide food trail called #trEATS aimed at celebrating the array of ‘eats’ available in the Toowoomba Region. More than 60 local flavour-makers have signed up from across the region, each offering a $20 springtime #trEAT on their menu during September, inspired by the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.

With a distinct architecture focus in 2020, the Walking Tour program will include: Parks Tours, Laneways and Street Art Tour, The Dark Side Walking Tour, Architecture Styles Tour and 150 Years of Rail Walk & Talk Tour.

The entire front of the Rowes building will come to life during Carnival with spectacular animations celebrating a Symphony of Spring – magical garden gnomes with flowers the size of buildings, giant bees, butterflies and lady birds, dancing crepe myrtle trees, thousands of tiny flowers sprouting and blooming and a giant oak tree that grows and delivers dancing gnomes to the party! The light shows will happen nightly at 6.30pm and 9pm.

For more information go to https://www.tcof.com.au/