Ballarat’s largest celebration, the annual Begonia Festival is approaching – taking place over the upcoming Labour Day long weekend (9-11 March), offering three days of entertainment suitable for everyone.
Attendees can look forward to live music, captivating performances, delicious food and drinks, bustling markets, appearances by celebrities, family-friendly activities, engaging workshops, and, of course, the beautiful Begonias and garden displays. Best of all, admission to the Begonia Festival is completely free.
The Begonias
What’s a Begonia Festival without its star attraction? This year, more than 500 Begonias will be on display at the Robert Clark Conservatory, showcasing a stunning array of colours.
While the Begonias take centre stage, the 166-year-old gardens themselves are always impeccably maintained and add to the spectacle.
At this year’s festival there will be an unveiling of a never-before-seen begonia flower, its new colour kept under wraps until the festival. This brand-new begonia cultivar, developed by the Gardens and Nursery team at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, pays homage to the Gardens’ first curator, George Longley.
What would a Begonia Festival be without the star of the show?
To learn more about the new Begonia, follow this link.
Entertainment
Aerial performers SWAY who wowed crowds at the 2023 Ballarat Begonia Festival are back this year, with the world premiere of their new show ‘These Things’.
But the entertainment doesn’t stop there. Visitors will have plenty of options to choose from. Highlights include the Begonia Maze, Integra Tiny Town, Sports Zone, and Marvellous Minibeasts, all perfect for families.
On the main stage, guests can enjoy horticultural presentations and cooking demonstrations by TV personalities like Paul West, Hannah Moloney, Courtney Roulston, and resident begonia expert Jerry Coleby-Williams, providing both entertainment and education.
Live music enthusiasts will also be pleased, as at least seven different acts will play on the stage over the course of the three-day festival.
To learn more about what is on offer to keep you enthralled, visit the entertainment section on the Ballarat Begonia Festival website.
Food and drink
Get ready to eat and drink your way through the Ballarat Begonia Festival.
Food trucks will be located in two large food court areas within the festival site, open 10am – 5pm daily.
There will be at least 25 different food and drink vendors to ensure you don’t go hungry.
The Begonia Bar will be in a new location this year, close to the South Food Lawn and new music stage. Run by The Western Hotel and Kilderkin Distillery, the bar will have local beverages for everyone to enjoy.
The PowerFM Begonia Festival Parade
The traditional Power FM Begonia Parade will return once again, beginning at 11am on Monday 11 March.
The parade will start at the South Gardens and travel along Wendouree Parade, concluding at the North Gardens.
The parade is expected to attract 10,000 spectators as they line both sides of the road to catch a glimpse.
This year’s parade features almost 40 community groups, schools and businesses, promising a vibrant and celebratory procession along Wendouree Parade.
For a full list of entrants, see the Begonia Festival Parade website.
Getting there
Planning your trip to the Begonia Festival?
This year’s event has a large range of transport options to get you and the family to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens for the three-day festival.
Free shuttle buses to and from Ballarat Train Station, free carparks, a close walk to Wendouree train station or maybe even a vintage tram ride once you’re there, there are plenty of ways to get to this year’s festival.
To learn more about how to get to the festival, plus all the information about road closures and shuttle bus times, visit the transport page on the Ballarat Begonia Festival website.
For more information or to see the full festival program, visit ballaratbegoniafestival.com.
Image: City of Ballarat
