The Carnival of Flowers Toowoomba 2024 is having its 75th anniversary and is bigger and better than ever! Find out everything you need to know about this iconic event in this article.
Prepare the petals – Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has unveiled a month-long celebration for September through to October. Plus, the Festival of Food and Wine is back for three mouth-watering days and our family favourite, the Grand Central Floral Parade (a free-event) is back bigger than ever!
What is the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers?
A breathtaking festival of flowers, flavours, and sounds, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers takes over the Southern Queensland city of Toowoomba each September. This unique festival offers a program bursting with award-winning experiences including stunning private gardens and public parks, streets blooming with floral colour, internationally acclaimed musical acts, and some of the best food and wine to be found in Queensland.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers organiser’s have unveiled a month-long program of celebrations for 2024.
190,000 spectacular blooms have been planted across the city’s major parks and public spaces to create a spectacular canvas of colour for the much-needed, month-long celebrations in September.
History of the Carnival of Flowers
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 their “Garden City” reputation to bounce back after the hardships of war.
On October 21, 1950 the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers commenced with a street procession that stretched three miles. Led by a bullock team and watched by a crowd estimated to be 50,000 strong, it was a huge success.
2024 Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
This annual event will be held in 2024 from 13 September to 7 October.
Grand Central Floral Parade
We’re so excited about the Grand Central Floral Parade at Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers! It truly is the event that stops the city, with thousands of families lining the streets to watch the colour go by. It will be held on Saturday 21 September from 10am to 12pm, allowing families to enjoy a full day of shopping, sightseeing and adventuring in Toowoomba.
The iconic Grand Central Floral Parade is one of Toowoomba’s favourite events of the year! Head along to watch street performers, carnival characters and roving entertainment escort the stunning floral floats on their journey through the heart of the city to Queens Park.
Come and join the party for the 75th annual Floral Parade, departing from the corner of Herries & Hume Streets. The floats and walking groups make their way along Herries Street, turn right into Ruthven Street, right into Margaret Street, left onto Hume Street and finishes on Godsall Street Oval on the corner of Hume & Godsall Streets.
Symphony Under the Stars
A very special event for their 75th birthday – this open-air concert will be an evening to remember!
Performed by the full Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Chief Conductor Umberto Clerici in his first trip to the Garden City, this grand performance will feature several classics. Set in the iconic Queens Park Amphitheatre, this floral symphony under starry skies is an event not to be missed.
- Date: Friday 4 Oct
- Times:
- Gates open 5:30pm (bar and food stalls operating)
- Performance from 7pm
- Cost:
- VIP $195 (includes premium seating in front of stage, charcuterie grazing table with 2 hour drinks package at private bar)
- Reserved seating $115
- Lawn – Adult $45
- Lawn – Child $15
As this is an outdoor event, it is recommended you bring blankets and warm clothing.
Twilight Tours
Enter the twilight zone and discover the secret world of the parklands by night. This is your chance to see and hear from the experts about the darker side of plant life in a one-hour nocturnal tour of Laurel Bank. The tour meets near the Info Hub at Laurel Bank at 5:30pm.
Dates and times:
- Fri 13 Sept, 5:30pm – 6:30pm
- Mon 16 to Fri 20 Sept, 5:30pm – 6:30pm
- Mon 23 to Fri 27 Sept, 5:30pm – 6:30pm
- Mon 30 Sept, 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Cost: $10 per person. Bookings required.
Festival of Food & Wine
We can confirm the return of the popular Festival of Food and Wine, to be held from 13 – 15 September celebrating the best in regional produce and Australian music in Queens Park. For three mouth-watering days, you can sample the world-famous produce of Southern Queensland Country, all in one location.
- Friday 13 Sept, 4pm – 10pm
- Saturday 14 Sept, 11am – 10pm
- Sunday 15 Sept, 11am – 8pm
Sideshow Alley
Head to Lower Queens Park for thrill-seeking rides, fairy floss, dagwood dogs and show bags! Have a shot at winning a top-shelf prize at one of the sideshow games or take in a bird’s eye view upside down from the heart-stopping 360º ride.
- Friday 20 Sept, 5pm – 10pm
- Saturday 21 Sept, 9am – 10pm
- Sunday 22 Sept, 9am – 9pm
Free entry. Rides and some activities require coupons:
- $2 = one coupon
- $30 = 18 coupons
- $60 = 40 coupons
- $99 = 70 coupons
Fireworks
The skies over Toowoomba will light up with breathtaking displays over three nights.
- Friday 15 Sept, 8:30pm
- Saturday 16 Sept, 8:30pm
- Sunday 17 Sept, 7:30pm
Ferris Wheel
For a blooming marvelous view over the Botanic Gardens get on board the Ferris Wheel! The Ferris Wheel is a truly wonderful way of seeing the floral filled Botanic Gardens from above. Your well-behaved doggo can ride it too!
Date: Friday 13 Sept – Sunday 22 Sept
Prices:
- Adults $10
- Children (2-13) $5
- Children under 2 – free
- Carers ride free on presentation of Companion Card
Families tip: The Ferris Wheel accepts card payment only.
Cinema Under the Stars
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will host Cinema Under the Stars in 2024, a free community event, as the sun sets over Newtown Park.
- Date: Saturday 28 Sept
- Time:
- 5:30pm food trucks operating
- 6:30pm movie commences
- Location: Peacehaven Botanic Park, 56 Kuhls Road, Highfields
- Movie: Sherlock Gnomes
What’s on all month at Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
- Floral Displays in all parks and public spaces including feature blooms in Queens Park, the Botanic Gardens and Laurel Bank Park, as well as floral chalk art.
- #trEATS regional food trail which shines the light on cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs with floral inspired dishes.
- Scenic and Tasty Self-Paced Trips – drive yourself and explore gourmet restaurants and some of the best quirky pubs in town!
- Parkland entertainment featuring local musicians and entertainers.
- Twilight Tours in Laurel Bank Park.
- The popular dog-friendly Petals and Pups.
- Guided and non-guided walking tours.
- Cobb + Co Museum will have a packed program for young and old to discover.
- Community events, gardening experiences and gardening displays will be happening across the month.
Weekend highlights at Carnival of Flowers
Here are just a few of the highlights from this year’s programme of events:
*School holidays commence for QLD from Sept 14 – 29.
September 13 – 15
- Festival of Food and Wine
- Toowoomba’s Finest Craft Show
- Carnival of Trains
- Toowoomba Farmers Market
September 20 – 28
- Grand Central Floral Parade 21 September 10am start
- Sideshow Alley
- Cinema Under the Stars 28 September
October 4 – 5
- Symphony Under the Stars 4 October
- The Sound of Picture Books
- The Empire Historical Tours
Play in the Petals: floral-filled public parks
The two major feature displays of bulbs and flowering annuals are located at the Botanic Gardens, Queens Park and Laurel Bank Park. Additional plantings occur around the CBD (Ruthven and Margaret Streets), Picnic Point Lookout and Spring Bluff Station. We recommend taking a stroll around to enjoy the wide variety of plants on display.
Queens Park
Spread across 25 hectares, Queens Park is something to behold, with bright flower beds, large canopies of stately trees and acres of expansive green lawns, plus two playgrounds to delight the kids. 43 Lindsay St, Toowoomba.
Laurel Bank Park
Laurel Bank Park is one of Toowoomba’s premier parks featuring manicured gardens, mature trees, children’s play equipment, barbecue and picnic areas and two croquet lawns. It’s a must-see destination during the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. 50 Hill St, Toowoomba.
Picnic Point Parklands
Just a short drive from the city’s CBD, the State heritage-listed parklands provide breathtaking panoramic views eastward to Table Top Mountain and the Lockyer Valley. At night, the glow of Brisbane city lights can be seen from the iconic Picnic Point Lookout, perched high on the crest of the Great Dividing Range. 164 Tourist Rd, Toowoomba.
Spring Bluff Railway Station Gardens
Heritage-listed Spring Bluff Railway Station is home to 150 years of railway history and beautifully landscaped gardens. Nestled on the main railway line between Ipswich and Toowoomba, the gardens will stop you in your tracks. The spring exhibit is absolutely stunning with poppies, ranunculus, stock, snapdragons, petunias and many other flowers bursting into colour.
Looking for playgroups and toddlers’ activities in Toowoomba? We know that!
And there’s more!
Lock in the dates and get ready for the flowers, food, and fun at this year’s Carnival of Flowers! Find out more about the event at the Carnival of Flowers website.
And find out what else there is to do in Toowoomba while you are there in our bumper article here.
