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Jacaranda Queen Janette (Alford)
Blair in the Float Procession, 1978
.jpg)
Jacaranda Queen Shirley (Young)
Adams in 1952 |

On the 29th October 1935, Grafton's first
Jacaranda Festival made its debut before 4000 enthusiastic fans in
brightly illuminated Jacaranda Avenue (in Pound Street).
Children by the hundred
danced and presented a floral pageant before Myrtle Gentle's name
was drawn from a golden casket as first Jacaranda Princess by the
Festival King, Jim Orr. Jacaranda Queen was Mavis Schwinghammer and
they were attended by 20 maids of honour, 11 pages, flower girls,
jesters and princesses. The next night a floral dance, adopted from The Cornish Floral Dance
and played in one step time, encouraged adults to dance down
Jacaranda Avenue.
.jpg)
Dancing in Jacaranda Avenue (c.
1937) Since
the first Festival a queen crowning ceremony is held on the last
Saturday in October each year, heralding the start of the major
festival week. The final weekend features a spectacular street
parade.
The festival is
now into its 77th year and is still strong in commitment,
participation and celebration from the Clarence Valley residents. The
Jacaranda Festival attracts many tourists during this late springtime
event.
In 2009, thanks to
the contribution and work from
Essential Energy, a new crown was installed on the top of the
Prince Street Clocktower.
Shining out every night during the
Festival, this marvellous centrepiece adds some Jacaranda
sparkle to the main street of Grafton.
Photo: Libby Power |
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kay Paine (nee Russell)
spent her childhood in Bowraville in the the Nambucca Valley,
attending Bowraville Public School and Macksville High School.
On completion of her
schooling Kay chose nursing as a career and trained as a student
nurse at Grafton Base Hospital. Her career spanned a period of
nearly 40 years at Grafton Base Hospital as a Nurse Educator and
later in Nursing Administration. Kay finally retired as Director
of Nursing in 2002.
This year (2002) she
was elected as the Jacaranda Festival's Matron of Honour and has
since been involved with the Jacaranda Festival Committee.
Kay wrote the History
of Grafton Hospital following her retirement. This book
chronicled the first 130 years of one of the Clarence Valley's
most prestigious icons.
She then researched the
history of Grafton's Jacaranda Festival completing this book in
2008. It was launched at the start of 2009 Jacaranda Festival.
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"The
History of Grafton's Jacaranda Festival"
This exceptional chronicle on the history of Grafton's Jacaranda
Festival was published by the Jacaranda Festival Committee and
compiled from excerpts from the Daily Examiner from its
inception in 1935 until 2008.
The history portrays the early festivals beginning in 1935 when
the festival made its debut in a highly illuminated Jacaranda
Avenue which formed the venue for many festivals which followed.
Information in the book includes the names of all the children
who took part in the early festivals. These children include
many of the ancestors of local people as well as many people
still living in the Clarence Valley today. Descriptions of the
costumes they wore and the traditional and spectacular English
dances they performed are brilliantly described.
The account of the first festival is outstanding reading
resembling a fairytale scene as it describes the resplendent
crowning of a little princess embellished in flowers from
Jacaranda Avenue accompanied by a pageant of dancing and music
on a brilliantly lit stage.
Each festival depicted in the book is unique as it includes many
photographs capturing the various festival activities and events
developed over many years. Photographs and descriptions of
festival celebrations include the magnificent efforts made by
the shops and business houses, the entertainment they provided
for the visitors and the endless efforts they made in decorating
their shops for the enjoyment of the crowds. Descriptions of the
many floats, most exceeding 100, leaves one spellbound and in
awe of the miraculous imagination obviously expended in their
preparations for float nights.
The book contains approximately 700 photographs of local people
and visitors and names of many local identities who contributed
to the success of each festival. Local citizens will find many
of their ancestors and relatives include d in the book . Staff
of local shops and businesses feature prominently, especially on
Jacaranda Thursdays and Carnival Capers in South Graton.
Other photographs include our beautiful Jacaranda Queens,
Princesses, attendants., candidates, Matrons of Honour, flower
girls & Page Boys, Junior Jacaranda parties and exceptional
photographs of crownings at most festivals. Also featuring in
the book are well-known guests of honour, guest artists,
Festival Presidents and many others.
Themes acted out in the schools displays at each festival
provide impressive reading where hundreds of children from local
and neighbouring schools brought so much vivacity in capturing
the many local industries, seasons and life in the Clarence
Valley and providing spectators with scenes almost lifelike.
Many photographs show the exceptional, clever and imaginative
displays by the hundreds of children.
The history of the festival as the years progress and the
cultural changes which take place to accommodate social change
and the development of today's technology makes interesting
reading as the pretty maypoles, community singing, jazz bands,
symphony orchestra and sacred concerts are replaced by other
activities.
The History of Grafton's Jacaranda Festival is compelling
reading for all ages to read and has immortalized the history of
Australia's most famous floral festival.
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The book retails for
$30 and is available for
sale from the following venues:
● Jacaranda Festival Office
(add $8 postage and
handling if you would like it delivered)
● Clarence River Visitor
Information Centre
● City Centre Newsagency
● Grafton Mall News
● Shopping World Newsagency
● Collins ABC Book Sellars
Grafton Shoppingworld
● South Grafton Post
Office
● South Grafton News &
Gifts |
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