Photo Opportunity
What: Begonia Parade Preview
Who: Cr Sam McIntosh will be joined by the Ballarat Jazz Club musicians and parade participants in 1920’s costume, BLOC ‘MAMA MIA’ cast members, the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council in traditional costume and Jules and Kris from PowerFM
Where: Durham Point – Lake Wendouree
When: Friday, 14 February @ 2.30pm
The PowerFM Begonia Parade is one of the most anticipated events on the Begonia Festival program, and the 44 entries this year will not disappoint the 10,000 plus crowd expected to line Wendouree Parade to watch the spectacle.
The Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council’s expanded entry this year will involve almost 100 people, with participants from the Indian, African and Italian associations joining them in a traditional dress theme, which will create a sea of colour around the parade route.
Multi-award-winning amateur theatre company, BLOC will present MAMA MIA at Ballarat’s Her Majesty’s Theatre in May. The cast will bring a definite ABBA theme to the parade this year, while the Ballarat Jazz Club, which brings local, national and international jazz musicians to Ballarat, is certain to get the crowd moving with their 1920’s vibe.
This year’s entries from schools, local business, community and multicultural groups, including the Chinese Australian Cultural Society, reinforces Ballarat’s reputation as a diverse, compassionate and welcoming community.
The 2020 parade will start at 11am at the pedestrian crossing in front of the South Gardens and will finish just past Piper’s at the North Gardens at approximately 12 noon.
This year’s parade will also be broadcast live by PowerFM. General Manager, John Fitzgibbon said the PowerFM Begonia Parade was a highlight of the community event. “We are excited to be able to provide coverage once again for everyone involved,” he said.
Begonia Parade entry awards will be presented in the following categories: Mayor’s Choice Award, Best Schools Entry, Best Community Entry, Best Business Entry, Best Musical Entry
Some of the many highlights of the 2020 Ballarat Begonia Festival program include
•Not one, but three former MasterChef contestants Poh Ling Yeow, Tim Bone and Anushka Zargaryan displaying their culinary prowess
•Appearances by Gardening Australia gurus Costa Georgiadis and Sophie Thomson and the return of Dirtgirl, who will be talking rubbish and recycling
•A massive program of events to keep the kids entertained, including:Pot-a-Plant with BotaniKids, ABC Kids’ characters Bluey and Bingo (Monday); Magic Shows with magician, Barry Govan; the return of the popular super sandpit and the addition of a new attraction, Tiny Town, a selection of quaint cubby play spaces, together with a new activity which will allow kids to build their own tiny treehouses to take home
•Live music across three stages and plenty of roving entertainment
•The Begonia Bar offering local beer, wine, cider and gin and scrumptious pizzas in the Begonia Courtyard from The Forge Pizzeria
•PowerFM Begonia Parade along Wendouree Parade on Monday, 9 March from 11am
2020 marks the 68th Ballarat Begonia Festival and the 163rd anniversary of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens.
For a full program of events click
