If you love flowers then start planning for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers (TCOF) in September this year.
Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio said the famous floral celebration runs for 30 days promises to be bigger than ever with more than 190,000 blooming plants, flourishing under the hands of an army of Council gardeners.
“The Grand Central Floral Parade is the event that stops the city, with thousands of families lining the streets to watch,” he said. “It will be held on Saturday 17 September, again at the earlier time of 10am, allowing crowds to enjoy a full day shopping and adventuring. This year the theme will be Reflect, Connect and Sparkle, a fitting and very positive nod to the past two years of challenges, and the vision we have for the future.”
Seedlings are being carefully nestled into expertly prepared garden beds ready to put on a show of colour this September. Along with the beautiful blooms, the famous three-day Festival of Food and Wine will be held from 9 to 11 September, showcasing the best in regional produce and Australian music in Queens Park.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers had bloomed into a major Queensland event.
“Toowoomba’s iconic month-long carnival is one of Australia’s favourite celebrations of food, wine, flowers and local produce,” Stirling Hinchliffe said. “Now famous around the country, Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers brings tens of thousands of visitors to Queensland’s Garden City. Last year, the extended carnival format delivered more than $22 million to Toowoomba’s visitor economy, up by 123 per cent on 2020.”
“We know big events like the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers benefit local businesses and tourism operators. That’s why the carnival is backed by the Palaszczuk Government’s It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.”
In the Botanic Gardens of Queens Park, the ever-popular Ferris Wheel program has been extended to run 16 to 25 September from 9am to 8pm, coinciding with the stunning Night Garden experience which will shine all month. In major news for foodies, a new event called Tipsy High Tea at Spring Bluff will be staged in partnership with Lockyer Valley Regional Council on Saturday 3 September!
Also new for 2022 is the Teddy Bear’s Picnic at Picnic Point on Saturday 24 September. Featuring interactive shows, fairy bread making, face painting, food stalls and of course a Teddy Bear Parade, this is one for the young, and the young at heart!
Two hosted progressive foodie dinners will take place in 2022, on Friday 2 September and Saturday 17 September. A dining experience over three different venues in one evening hosted by a local tour guide and including coach transport and drinks, tickets are just $139 per person and places will fill quickly given the unique nature of these dinners.
Cinema Under the Stars also returns, this time at a new venue at Newtown Park, along with the famous Talking Pubs Tours, Twilight Tours of Laurel Bank Park, Hanging Baskets at Cobb+Co Museum, Sideshow Alley in Queens Park from 16 to 18 September, the city-wide Parkland Entertainment program featuring local musicians, the hugely popular Petals and Pups program and all of the floral displays, open gardens and petal-related activities the city is famous for.
Find the full program here