The Area News

Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest

Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest
Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest

Advertiser content for Griffith City Council.

There’s a certain magic to regional Spring Festivals and nowhere is this displayed more vibrantly than here in Griffith. From Sunday, October 7, to Sunday, October 21, our city will welcome visitors from across Australia to our annual Griffith Spring Fest. This is a wonderful time to visit Griffith as we showcase our local food and world-class wines, friendly people, country hospitality and colourful cultures.

Griffith Spring Fest is a fantastic fortnight of festivities and celebrations. Visitors will have a chance to meet Jason Hodges of Better Homes and Gardens at one of the beautiful open gardens, attend gardening workshops, admire the 70 unique citrus sculptures and party at the street launch with live music, local wine and food stalls.    

Organisers have been hard at work for nearly 12 months to make sure this year’s festival is one to remember. So if it’s your yearly tradition or you’re a newcomer, here are five things you’re not going to want to miss at this year’s Griffith Spring Fest:

1 – Get a selfie with one of the zany orange sculptures in Banna Avenue…

From Sunday, October 7 to Saturday, October 20, the main street will be lined with the most unique and wacky orange sculptures you have ever seen.

It’s the 23rd anniversary of the Real Juice Company Citrus Sculptures and this year’s participants haven’t held back on the creativity. More than 760 volunteers had a hand in crafting 70 sculptures, ranging from a grand piano to a reclining chook and just about everything you can imagine in between! This year we have seven new Citrus Sculptures including a huge grand-father clock and giant tennis racket.

These marvellous creations are loads of fun for the entire family fun and they create generate a real atmosphere of joy and excitement around the town city. PS be sure to share your favourite selfies with us #griffithspringfest.

Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest
Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest

2 – Kick start the Festival at the LINX Launch Party…

While Spring Fest runs for a fortnight, the highlight of the festival is the LINX Launch Party in the main street across from the magnificent Citrus Sculptures, which kicks off Friday, October 12.

The LINX Launch Party is a fun family-friendly event which is sure to keep everybody entertained, regardless of your age this event has you covered. 

Griffith prides itself on great food and wine and this event gives visitors an opportunity to celebrate with the locals. Experience local wines, live music, Yenda beer and cider, a paella station, street food, kids activities, market stalls and cocktails.

Why not treat yourself and purchase a VIP access pass for just $40. You’ll receive a glass of bubbly on arrival, private allocated seating, catering by the Grazeful Table and an exclusive meet and greet with celebrity gardener Jason Hodges (but more on him later)…

Tickets available here.

Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest
Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest

3 – Explore all six awe-inspiring open gardens...

Spring is one of the nicest times of the year to visit Griffith; warm sunny days to explore the six beautiful open gardens, lunch with friends under shady trees in private gardens, or book a seat on the garden tour bus for a great day out. Join in a garden workshop or talk with gardening guru Jason Hodges from Better Homes and Gardens. 

An exploration of these incredible local sites is an absolute must. Entry to each costs just $6. There is also bus tours taking place throughout the weekend.

The gardens will be open between the hours of 9.30am and 5pm, from Friday October 12 until Sunday, October 14. For more information  click here.

Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest
Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest

4 – Take some tips from one of the best in the business...

No Spring Festival is complete without a celebrity ambassador and this year we’ve got ourselves a cracker: TV’s Jason Hodges. Yes, the Better Homes And Gardens landscaper will be spending the weekend in Griffith, rubbing shoulders with the locals and sharing a few tips of the trade. 

With more than 25 years industry experience and a collective Logie up his sleeve, his workshops are as informative as they are entertaining. If you’re a gardener this is a unique and invaluable opportunity to get some practical advice from one of the best.

Hodges will host a number of talks and workshops from Friday, October 12 to Sunday, October 14, including events at all six of the open gardens including a midday session on “Getting creative with landscaping and ornaments” the Salvestrin’s garden; a 2pm session on “Creating shade in your garden” at the Careri’s. 

On Saturday, Hodges will give a Turf Talk at the Mercuri’s garden at 10am, an 11.30am session on Spring Veggie Patches at the Piccolo property, a 2pm workshop on how to find inspiration in the garden with the Plos family and a Happy Hour Workshop at Griffith Retirement Estate at 4.30pm. 

On Sunday, he’ll round out the Garden Festival with a 10am session on reviving mature trees with Lyndsay and Brian Sainty. 

A perfect way to finish off the school holidays is to bring the family down to City Park for a free children’s gardening workshop at 11.30am on Sunday, October 14. Participants will have the chance to gain hands on experience potting up a variety of seedlings with Jason and enjoy a sausage sizzle.

Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest
Five things to see at this year’s Spring Fest

5 – Indulge in Griffith’s famous exquisite Italian cuisine

Griffith is home to one of Australia’s most vibrant Italian communities and, like their parents and grandparents before them, they continue to enrich our community with both their culture and their paddock to plate philosophy.

Discover the taste of the Griffith region whilst you are visiting. Warm spring days and long temperate nights are ideal for a long lunch or dinner at either De Bortoli Family Wines or at one of our beautiful open gardens, The Piccolo Family Farm.

On Saturday, October 13, the De Bortoli Family will be hosting the La Tavola Lunga. Share a classic Italian family feast in their wine barrel room with matching fine wines. Tickets can be purchased here.

On the following Sunday (October 21) the Piccolo Family will host a long lunch amongst the birch trees in their heritage farm garden. Tickets can be purchased here.

For more information visit www.griffithspringfest.com.au

Advertiser content for Griffith City Council.