Ballarat Begonia Festival 11 to 12 March 2018

11 - 12 March, 10am - 5pm

A free event held over the Labour Day long weekend in March at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. An exciting line up of entertainment, activities, talks, culinary delights and celebrity guests including popular television personality Costa Georgiadis at the Garden Stage.

View the festival’s namesake inside the Conservatory - the Begonia Display. This year’s Begonia collection, which includes 2500 tuberous begonias grown by the City of Ballarat’s dedicated gardeners, is a sight to behold.

"The Ballarat Botanical Gardens covers 40 hectares divided into three distinct zones - the central Botanical Gardens which preserves the 'gardenesque' style of the Victorian pleasure garden, and open parkland buffers on either side are known as the North and South Gardens.

The Ballarat Botanical Gardens is one of Australias most significant cool climate gardens, containing a remarkable collection of mature trees and marble statues set among colourful bedding displays. Located on the western shore of Lake Wendouree, approximately 4km from Ballarat CBD, the Gardens is an invaluable heritage and recreational resource."

Download the 2018 Begonia Festival program here (pdf).

The 2018 program features:

  • Celebrity Gardener Costa Georgiadis on the Main Lawn with a program of talks drawing on his all consuming passion for plants and people.
  • Chat with celebrity guests (brought to you by Central Highlands Water)
  • Meet Rebecca Sullivan - Rebecca will talk on a range of topics as part of her presentation The Art of The Natural Home, including tips and tricks, as well as chemical and waste free living ideas using ‘Granny Skills’. Join Rebecca daily on the Main stage.
  • The New Joneses - Imagine if your daily habits could change the world? Well they can, and do. The New Joneses will showcase the easy, everyday choices everyone can make for a healthier, happier planet. This is your chance to check out The New Joneses’ multi-award winning pop-up tiny house and gain some tips and ideas on how you can live like The New Joneses.
  • Get Grubby TV presents DIRTGIRL and Costa the Garden Gnome Join in the daily fun with the stars of dirtgirlworld and Get Grubby TV, DIRTGIRL and Costa the Gnome live at the Main Stage. Find a rainbow, come to the sing-a-long picnic, get up close and personal with some worms and discover which vegetable makes a perfect microphone. Getting grubby has never been this much fun.
  • Markets
  • Live Entertainment: Kailee O'Beirne (covers and orginal music), Kieran T (hits from the last 4 decades), Motor City Sounds (pay tribute to the classic sounds of motown and soul music), Anna Oliphant Wright (blues, country & folk music), Chris Morant (street performer combines balloon artistry, jubbling, stilt performances with magic)
  • Begonia Display
  • Le Petite Grande Comedy Tent (a mini “spiegelesque” show tent, full of big surprises for everyone to enjoy. Comedy and circus shows on all weekend) Dr Hubble's Bubble Show, Kik and Pascal and Maple Staplegun
  • Saltbush Kitchen
  • Woodies
  • Super Sandpit
  • Little Languages Storytelling
  • Budding Gardeners Tent
  • Make your own gnome hat
  • Garden Trail competition
  • Obstacle Challenge
  • Floral Art
  • Spinning & Weaving
  • Chi Goong demonstrations
  • Garden Games
  • Fish Hatchery tours
  • Power FM Begonia Parade
  • Free Vintage Tram Rides
  • Free Train & Ride
  • and much more.....

Please visit the website for full details www.ballaratbegoniafestival.com