Dog-friendly itineraries and 190,000 blooms at the country’s most beautiful event next month
As if celebrating 75 years of petal power was not enough! This year the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers (TCOF) features Petals and Pups – an official dog-friendly program, completely dedicated to hounds and their humans, and in salute to Toowoomba’s first canine Ambassadog, ‘Puppy’ the Pomeranian, who led the very first grand parade all those years ago!
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is not only the most beautiful event in the country, but also the toast of the nation after being crowned best major event at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. The 75th anniversary program features more than 80 events over four petal-filled weekends from 13 September to 7 October.
The pawsome Petals and Pups program boasts more than 20 dog-friendly activities and 27 off-leash parks, as well as dog-friendly cafés, restaurants and accommodation recommendations. It’s the purr-fect time to get your paws amongst the petals in the Garden City.
In BARKING NEWS, the much-loved Ferris Wheel in the Botanic Gardens, which gives the best blooming views over all the petals, will this year welcome well-behaved dogs on board! Now this is pawsome news!
Dogs have always been a part of the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. At the very first Carnival parade in 1950 the Toowoomba Thistle Band’s drum major, Hugh Morgan, set the benchmark with his tartan-clad pooch ‘Puppy’ marching alongside the ensemble. Today a statue commemorating ‘Puppy’ stands in the iconic Picnic Point Parklands which overlooks Toowoomba’s scenic panorama of the Great Dividing Range.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers’ Petals and Pups program:
- Cultured Canine Itinerary – if spending a weekend strolling through perfectly manicured gardens, taking in amazing art and indulging in a long lunch (all with your canine companion in tow) appeals, then this is your pawfect pick. The day starts with some laneway love, exploring Toowoomba’s fantastic street art scene, before a visit to Picnic Point where a selfie with the famous bronze statue of ‘Puppy’ is a must. From here, it’s a lazy lunch, before an off-leash play at Queens Park and then some petal time in the Botanic Gardens.
- Pampered Pup Itinerary – a fur-bulous day of Instagrammable indulgence! This begins with a puppychino (and cappuccino for the human), before some doggie day spa time (a signature cut and blow dry perhaps) followed by some well-behaved dog-friendly local luxe shopping (hello Harolds Finishing Touches) before taking in the blooms at Laurel Bank Park.
- Adventure Dog Itinerary – it’s barking brilliant for action-packed trailblazers and starts with a hearty breakfast, a bushland adventure at Garnett Lehman Park, a snack (and a great single origin coffee for humans) before free ranging at Dr Alex Horn Park (great for sunsets)!
FOR FULL ITINERARIES, DOG-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS, AND PLACES TO EAT WITH YOUR PUP – HEAD TO TCOF.COM.AU
View the dog off-leash maps and plan your visit – here
2024 Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Petal-fueled showstoppers this year include the full Queensland Symphony Orchestra performing under the baton of Chief Conductor Umberto Clerici, a 75th Memorabilia Exhibition, exciting new dining experiences and the return of another record year of #trEATS, the expansion of the popular Teddy Bears’ Picnic into the Thrive on Arts four-day event at the Empire Theatre, the return of beloved Carnival Queens and Ambassadors to share their memories, and more than 40 million petals on display across the city’s famous parks and public spaces.
The famous Festival of Food and Wine runs across 13 to 15 September with Thirsty Merc, Pete Murray, Kate Ceberano and James Reyne headlining at Queens Park, while celebrity chef and dessert powerhouse Anna Polyviou has the flavour baton.
More than 190,000 blooms have been planted across the city’s major parks and public spaces to create a spectacular canvas of colour for much needed celebrations from 13 September.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 2024
13 September to 7 October
All information at tcof.com.au
Since its inception in 1949, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has flourished and is now an iconic Queensland event. The brainchild of Essex Tait and the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, 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 21 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.
