Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers unveils month-long celebration

Running from September 1-30, it is an extension of the 10-day event that has taken place for the past 72 years and will accompany the Festival of Food and Wine from September 10-12.

To get an idea of just how big the carnival will be, council gardeners are planting more 190,000 blooms.

Throughout the month floral displays will be seen 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.

Also returning is the event that stops Toowoomba, the Grand Central Floral Parade on September 18;

Another option is the stunning light-filled Night Garden in the Botanic Gardens.

As well as all those marvellous flowers, visitors can enjoy celebrate the best in regional produce and Australian music in Queens Park.

Still on food, a new event, High Cheese, will be held at historic Spring Bluff railway station, known for its gorgeous gardens. It will be hosted by chef and local produce champion Alastair McLeod. Tickets are selling fast.

Also new is Cinema Under the Stars, a free community event on the leafy lawns of Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery, featuring a line-up of classic movies.

The #trEATS regional food trail, meanwhile, shines a light on cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs with floral-inspired dishes. Almost 40 eateries took part in 2020, with many more expected in 2021.

Other attractions include:

For the full program and tickets to paid-for events, go to tcof.com.au

The carnival started in 1949 to boost the economic after the hardships of war. It began with a three-mile-long street procession led by a bullock team and watched by a crowd of about 50,000