Ballarat's largest annual event is finally here, with the Begonia Festival set to take over the Ballarat Botanical Gardens across the long weekend.
Open daily from 10am-5pm from 7-9 March, the free festival offers three days packed with entertainment, garden displays, workshops, talks, performances, plenty of food, drink and family activities.
Whether you are a first-timer or a festival regular, here is everything you need to know before you go.
Activities and entertainment
There's no shortage of fun and interactive entertainment sure to delight audiences of all ages and interests.
This year's main attraction is The Musical Plants by Playable Streets, turning live plants into unique organic instruments. Swelling with textural waves and phasing rhythmic movement, The Musical Plants will be unlike any instrument you have ever seen, heard or played.
The Begonia Stage, hosted by Chloe Thomson, brings an impressive lineup of special guests including horticulturalist Sophie Thomson, chef and food critic Matthew Evans and chef and CEO of Mabu Mabu Nornie Bero.
Other highlights include the 3BA Sound Garden, Community Floral Garden Displays, Gardeners Market and the Snail Trail, to name a few.
By entering the Snail Trail competition, you get a chance to win a regional getaway. Locate all 10 different snail sculptures and correctly name the snail at each location to go into the random draw.
Plus, don't forget to vote for your favourite snail. The school with the winning design will receive a $1,000 school art supplies voucher.
To fully explore all the entertainment on offer, explore the program section on the Ballarat Begonia Festival website.
Just for the kids
The Garden of Giggles is back delivering joy and laughter for both kids and grown-ups alike. Interact with Polyglot Theatre's Bees, sing along with The Vegetable Plot, or stroll into the Laughter House for a pop-up comedy show.
Sporty families can drop by the Western Bulldogs activation, running all weekend giving young fans a chance to practice their footy skills.
Other returning favourites for our youngest festival-goers include the Integra Tiny Town, face painting, and vintage tram rides.
The Begonia Display
At the heart of the festival is the renowned Begonia Display inside the Robert Clark Conservatory.
This year's display, themed "Symphony of Begonias," features around 600 upright and cascading begonias alongside a selection of non-tuberous begonias to highlight the diversity of the collections.
They will be creatively arranged to produce encompassing walls of colour, surrounded by Dichondra 'Silver Falls' to add a silvery contrast and butterfly props to serve as focal points.
The display is open daily from 10am-5pm during the festival and will remain open for several weeks following the long weekend.
Don't forget to catch the Ballarat Botanical Gardens team on the Begonia Stage for "Let's chat begonias" on Saturday and Sunday from 12.30-12.50pm.
Food and drink
Get ready to eat and drink your way through the festival with a variety of food trucks set up across two large food court areas within the grounds.
The Begonia Bar is also back serving up some of the best local wines, beers and spirits.
View the full line-up of food truck vendors by visiting the food and drink section on the Ballarat Begonia Festival website.
Getting there
The Ballarat Botanical Gardens are easily accessible, with multiple transport options available.
If you're walking via Wendouree Parade, Crossing Supervisors will be in place at the pedestrian crossing closest to Pipers by the Lake.
A free shuttle will be operating to and from the Ballarat Railway Station at different times throughout the day. Or the Wendouree Train Station is only a 900-metre stroll away.
A free car park will be established off Wendouree Parade near the North Gardens, and there is also ample parking around the Botanical Gardens, both along Wendouree Parade and Gillies Street.
Vintage tram rides will be running all weekend for your convenience along the 1.3 kilometres of the original track.
To learn more about how to get to the festival, plus all the information about road closures and shuttle bus times, visit the 'getting here' page on the Ballarat Begonia Festival website.
Accessibility
Lifely will provide a dedicated Quiet Sensory Space within the gardens including accessible furnishings and sensory-friendly equipment to ensure visitors have a comfortable and calming environment.
Accessible entry in and out of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens is available at all gates.
Accessible parking will be located in the North Gardens, with the entry point off Wendouree Parade into Zoo Drive.
Wheelchair ramps are installed throughout the grounds to allow access onto the existing raised beds.
Parent Place will be located next to Integra Tiny Town, offering a breast-feeding location, bottle heating facilities, access to change facilities and a sensory place.
To learn more, visit the accessibility page on the Ballarat Begonia Festival website.
Sustainability
There will once again be no plastic bottles sold at any of the food and drink trucks. Multiple drinking stations will be available thanks to Central Highlands Water to fill your reusable drink bottles as well as hydrate your furry friends.
Recycling and composting stations will also be onsite to help keep rubbish out of landfill, with signage on hand to help you sort it correctly.
There will also be a series of educational gardening workshops to learn sustainable gardening tips from experts, while the Sustainable Garden Displays will showcase local businesses as they highlight eco-friendly gardening practices.
PowerFM Begonia Festival Parade
The PowerFM Begonia Parade returns at 11am, Monday 9 March, travelling along Wendouree Parade from the Ballarat Tramway Museum to the North Gardens.
This year's procession features 31 community groups, schools and businesses, showcasing themed floats, performers and live music as thousands of spectators line the route.
PowerFM returns as parade sponsor and will broadcast live on the day. Spectators are encouraged to arrive early and plan travel ahead, as Wendouree Parade will be closed between Carlton Street and St Aidans Drive from 6am to 12.30pm to ensure a safe event route.
For a full list of parade participants, visit the parade page on the Ballarat Begonia Festival website.
